The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Liberia’s decision on a strongerAfrican Peer Review Mechanism at 65^th PanelMeeting of Eminent Persons in Monrovia, President Johnson Sirleaf ‘s commendation to the Liberia Council of Churches in its efforts to fight hunger, Gender Minister Duncan Cassel reaffirmation of Liberia’s commitment to ensuring the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals are among stories dominating our selected dailies for today Monday, March 17, 2014.

Dominant Stories

Liberia Seeks Stronger APRM

According to the Heritage Newspaper, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a self-monitoring instrument created by African leaders in 2003, convened its 65^th Meeting of Eminent Persons in Monrovia over the weekend, with member states seeking to strengthen the mechanism as it strives to influence governance system across the continent. The Panel Meeting discussed and concluded resolutions on deepening the APRM process and structure in member states, strengthening relationships with stakeholders and integration with the African Union. The Chairperson of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons, Ambassador Fatuma Ndangiza, presided over the proceedings held at the Royal Grand Hotel in Sinkor, Monrovia.

Related Captions: Liberia Seeks Stronger APRM At 65^th Panel Meeting (News Newspaper), Ellen Seeks Stronger APRM- As Liberia Hosts 65^th APR Panel Meeting(Daily Observer), Liberia Craves Stronger APRM At 65^th Panel Meeting In Liberia(INSIGHT), Liberia Seeks Stronger APRM At 65^th Panel Meeting in Liberia(The Inquirer), Liberia Seeks Stronger APRM At 65^th Panel Meeting in Liberia(The Analyst)

Pres. Sirleaf Endorses LCC’s Anti-Hunger Campaign

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has launched a response to hunger program under the auspices of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) as part of its 29^th General Assembly at the New Water in the Desert Apostolic Church in Brewerville, on the outskirts of Monrovia. The LCC which convened last week under the theme, “The Role of the Church in Fighting Hunger and Poverty,” says it is the church’s own way of supporting government’s efforts to fight hunger. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf commended the LCC for the partnership with government in improving human dignity. She said government’s partnership with the church has come a long way in fighting to improve the lives of all Liberians, not only in their spiritual enrichment but in fostering peace and social justice thereby making the partnership a strong one, the Analyst newspaper reports.

Related captions: Ellen Graces LCC’s 29^th General Assembly (FOCUS), Ellen Supports LCC’s Anti-Hunger Program (In Profile Daily), Pres. Sirleaf Joins LCC to Launch Response to Hunger Program (INSIGHT), Churches urged to remain steadfast (INSIGHT), The Church Must Never Be Silent Again (The Analyst)

WCC Blesses LCC’s 29^th Assembly –call “timely” the Assembly’s theme

The Secretariat of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has described as “timely reminder” the theme under which the Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) convened last week in Brewerville, outside Monrovia. General Secretary Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, in a communication that he addressed to the 29^th General Assembly of LCC, March 13, 2014, from Geneva in Switzerland on behalf of WCC, said it was a privilege for the world body to bless and identify with the Liberian Church and people, the Analyst asserts.

Arms Machine for Liberia

A modern Firearms Marking Machine donated last November to the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LINSA) by the Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA) will be officially turned over to the Government of Liberia on Wednesday. The turning over ceremony which will be held at the Liberia National Police Training Academy in Paynesville is expected to bring together top officials of the Liberian Government including members of the security sector, the National Legislature, representatives of UNMIL, as well as civil society representatives. The ceremony is being organized by the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms in collaboration with the ECOWAS Small Arms Unit and the Regional Center for Small Arms (RECSA) under the African Union/European Union Small Arms and Light Weapons Project, the Inquirer writes.

Related captions: Arms Machine for Liberia (New Democrat), LINCSA Gets Modern Firearms Machine (FOCUS)

Other stories

German Envoy Tours Southeastern Liberia

The German Ambassador to Liberia, Ralph Timmermann, has ended a three-day visit to southeastern Liberia. Addressing a Government line ministries and agencies meeting in Zwedru earlier this week, Mr. Timmermann said his three-day working visit to southeastern Liberia was to get first-hand information on the German Agro Action/Welthungerh life work in the region. Also addressing the meeting, Grand Gedeh County Superintendent, Peter L. Solo, recounted the numerous assistance the German Government, through German Agro Action, has provided Grand Gedeh County, writes the Heritage Newspaper.

GOV’t Pledges US$2.5m for George M. Weah Training Center-As FIFA Gives US$ 500,000; Promises Artificial Turf

The Daily Observer reports that Vice President Joseph N. Boakai and Rep. Edwin M. Snowe Jr. have pledged government’s support of US2.5 million to the George M. Weah Training Center which construction begins sometime this month, March, 2014. Amb. Boakai on Saturday during the ground breaking of the historic training center in Careysburg said the erection of the training center would quench his jealousy of religiously watching talented youthful footballers of other countries and will be able to see Liberian youth developing their talents. He said that the naming of the training center  after the 1995 World Player, Liberia’s and Africa’s football icon and legend who later became a politician is important  because Liberia is moving and rising above political barriers to recognize the good in people. VP Boakai also said the name is important because it births nation building and buttresses the peace and reconciliation that Liberians are striving for. FIFA’s West Africa Development Officer, John Sampon Kablan extended FIFA’s heartfelt greetings to Liberia and their desire to develop the game and hoped that the center would give young Liberians a home. FIFA has provided US$500,000 to cover the first phase of the project and has promised to provide the artificial turf for the two pitches in the training center. The training center is the country’s fourth goal project.

Chinese Loans To Africa Are Free Of Conditionalities

The second session of the 12^th National People’s Congress (NPC) of China was recently concluded in Beijing. The session was to evaluate China’s economic growth among other things. At a press conference organized to state China’s foreign policy toward Africa, particularly as it pertains to loans and other facilities offered to African countries, the Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr. Wang stated that the one thousand projects it has undertaken in Africa, non has had conditionality attached to them. Mr. Wang announced that Chinese premier Li Kequiang would visit Africa and gave an assurance that the cooperation between China and Africa would enter a new phase, the Daily Observer reports.

UNMIL Begins Drawing Down In Gbarpolu

The first batch of military officers of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), have departed the provincial city of Bopolu County, in continuation of the Mission’s ongoing drawdown process in Liberia. UNMIL Sector A-1 Regional Administrative Officer, Joseph Mashindo, told citizens during a town hall meeting held at the Bopolu City Hall on Thursday, that UNMIL has agreed to turnover to the county administration all housing units and other facilities previously used by the mission, reports the Heritage Newspaper.

EU Prioritizes Women And Girls’ Rights

The European High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton says the long term stability and development of the violence and discrimination against women are addressed. Madam Ashton, who is also the Vice-President of the European Commission, said though women have made great advances over the years, there is still a long way to go to achieve a world live from gender based discrimination. In a statement to mark International Women’s Day, the EU High Representative stressed that “the  rights of all women and girls are a universal priority for the EU and this is reflected in current discussions on the post 2015 framework for poverty eradication and sustainable development.”, the Daily Observer reports.

MoF, MIA, GC Collaborate To Strengthen Local Governance

The Government of Liberia has taken steps to strengthen the capacity of local governance in order to provide services that will benefit ordinary Liberians. According to the INSIGHT newspaper, the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Governance Commission (GC) has officially released the National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance manual at a two day workshop on Fiscal Decentralization and Local Government Financial Management held in the Port City of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The objective of the workshop was to strengthen local government, setting up County treasuries, building human capacity, establishing a baseline for county resource revenue and expanding local participation in the affairs of government by providing equal opportunity for citizens to participate equally. Speaking at the workshop, Assistant Minister for Expenditure at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Augustus Zayzay emphasize that in Fiscal decentralization there are processes involved in equitable distribution and urged individuals in the local government to be involved in the decentralization process to achieve productivity.

Two Liberian Women Win International Award

Two Women from the Ministry of Agriculture have joined the list of African Women who were awarded the 2014 African Women in Agriculture Research and Development (AWARD) Fellowship laureate.  Mrs. Cleopatra Gibson-Jallah, Planning Officer and Ms. Chery Angela Williams, Gender and Social Development focal person at the Ministry of Agriculture, were among the 70 “impressive, talented, motivated” women agricultural researchers chosen from 790 applicants to participate in a two year career-development program, the NEWS reports.

USAID/IBEX Expands Program

Access to credit for small medium enterprises (SME’s) remains a key factor that impedes Liberia’s economic growth, the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Mr. John Mark Winfield has alarmed. Speaking at a signing ceremony over the weekend in Monrovia, Mr. Winfield stressed the need for more opportunity for credits stating that economic growth remains the key to Liberia’s growth. “Liberians are serious minded people, he said.” The problem that they face is that they lack access to credit”, the New Democrat reports.

Africare Builds Maternal Home In Nimba

International NGO Africare has dedicated a modern maternal home it built in Duo-Tiayee, Yapea-Mah District in Nimba County, for use by 18 catchment communities in the district. Turning over the facility to the community people, Africare primary health officer, Lassana Jarbadeh, disclosed that the facility has seven bedrooms, latrine and bathroom and is the organization’s assistance towards reducing the high rate of maternal mortality in the country. Receiving the keys to the facility on behalf of the county administration, Nimba County Engineer Joseph Torrion expressed appreciation to Africare for the project, the IN PROFILE DAILY reports.

 ‘Count Country First’ Jordanian Revenue Expert Cautions Customs Officers

A Jordanian Revenue Expert has cautioned Liberian Customs Officers to count the interest of their country above all. Mr. Marwin Al-Farajat, a Technical Expert for revenue and customs software, Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) told a gathering of Revenue and Customs Officer that they must work towards improving their country during the course of performing their duties. Al-Farajat made the call in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County when officials and employees of the Bureau of Custom and Excise held an honoring program recounting the numerous contributions of the Jordanian revenue expert who have contributed to the skills of revenue agents in the country. ASUCUDA is software developed by UNCTAD in 1981 with the aim of keeping trade statistics, facilitating trade and collecting customs revenue, the Front Page Africa newspaper writes.

Land Rights Forum Held In Kakata

The Heritage Newspaper reports that a one-day forum on land rights in Liberia was held Friday, March 14 at the Kakata City Hall in Margibi County. During the forum, a documentary film was shown to participants by the Land Commission Coordination Center (LCCC) in Kakata, in partnership with the Land Conflict Resolution Project (LCRP). The program was intended to educate the public about the functions of the LCCC in Kakata, as well as the importance of the land rights policy document that has been introduced to the National Legislature for enactment into Law.

Stakeholders Validate Nat’l TVET Policy

The News Newspaper pens that the Stakeholder involved with the development of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in the country gathered during the weekend to formulate a national policy to address issues affecting the TVET program. The validation of the draft national TVET Policy which was designed a year ago brought together key state actors to include the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Education, UNESCO, World Bank and other developmental partners among others. Speaking at the ceremony Youth and Sports Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe expressed the need for reforms as regard the country TVET programs.

Putu Donates Equipment

Putu Iron Ore Mining Incorporated has donated two digital pheodolite valued US$20,000 to the Department of Lands, Survey and Cartography at the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy. Presenting the equipment, Putu Iron Ore Mining Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Christian Masurenko said the donation is the company’s contribution to enhance the work of the department. Mr. Masurenko said his company considers the work of the Lands, Survey and Cartography Department critical; as such, it decided to donate the equipment, reports the News Newspaper.

Legislature, NOCAL End Roundtable Talk

According to the News Newspaper, the House of Representatives spearheading the reform process of the draft petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act of 2013 and National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) have concluded a week-long roundtable discussion for legislators, national and internal oil experts and members of the Executive. The roundtable was aimed at exchanging professional thoughts and reviewing the inputs of citizens gathered by the House of Representatives on the draft Oil Law during the nationwide consultations.

District #13 Gets Ambulances

The operations of the many medical centers without ambulances in Liberia drew the attention of Representative Saah H. Joseph, who has now given two ambulances to residents of District #13 in Montserrado County. The Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), senior partisan said the donation of the ambulances will reduce the number of deaths in his constituency and its surrounding, writes the Focus Newspaper.