The Bureau of Public Affairs   

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2014

Selected stories for today’s news summary include, LACC Boss attendance at United Nations Convention Against Corruption in Austria, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf congratulatory messages to Sweden and Egypt, the launch of a new livelihood program by the Young Men Christian Association in Liberia, President Sirleaf submission of Wildlife Act for enactment to the Liberian Senate and the appointment of the Police Human Resource Chief among other stories.

LACC Chair Attends UNCAC Implementation Review Group Session

According to the In Profile Daily, the Executive Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Cllr. James N. Verdier Jr, is in Vienna, Austria, participating in the Fifth Session Review Group of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). A release said, the session brings together countries that are states’ parties to the convention. The UNCAC Convention which is being held from June 2 – 6, 2014, focuses on the review of the Implementation of the UNCAC, performance of the Mechanism for the Review of Implementation of UNCAC and its term of reference technical assistance, financial and budgetary matters, and provisional agenda for the Sixth Session of the Implementation Review Group.

Related Caption:LACC Boss Attends UNCAC Implementation Review Group Session(Heritage Newspaper)

Ellen Hails Sweden’s National Day

The In Profile Daily quotes a Foreign Ministry’s release: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia, has extended warmest felicitations to His Majesty, Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden on the occasion of that nation’s National Day. The Liberian Leader, in her message to the Swedish King, extended sincere best wishes to Members of the Royal Family, the Government and People of the Kingdom of Sweden as the country observes its historic occasion. “We in Liberia note with deep appreciation that Sweden is a significant supporter of Liberia’s socio-economic development”, President Sirleaf stated in her message. She also noted the Swedish Government’s contribution to Liberia’s decentralization program and Liberia’s accession process to the World Trade Organizations. The Liberian Leader said she is convinced that the exceptional bond of friendship and cooperation between Liberia and Sweden will continue to grow from strength to strength as both countries strive collectively to uphold their shared values, including the promotion of global peace and security, the rule of law and the freedom and respect for human dignity.

Related Caption:Ellen Hails Sweden’s National Day(Heritage Newspaper)

Ellen Congratulates New Egyptian Leader

The Heritage Newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry’s release: The President of the Republic of Liberia, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President-Elect of the Arab Republic of Egypt on the occasion marking his election as President of that country. In her message to President-Elect El-Sisi, President Johnson Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia, extended warmest congratulations to the new Egyptian Leader on his unanimous election as President of The Republic of Egypt. While expressing delight over the elections, President Sirleaf stated, “We have no doubt that your victory is a manifestation of the confidence your compatriots have in your leadership ability and the record of your achievements.” The Liberian Leader further commended the gallant People of Egypt for the peaceful and orderly manner in which they conducted themselves during the polls which she said demonstrates Egypt’s maturity in the promotion of good governance and democratic process. President Johnson Sirleaf also expressed optimism that under the capable Presidency of Mr. El-Sisi, the cordial relations subsisting between both countries will continue to be strengthened for the mutual benefits of the Peoples of Liberia and Egypt as well as for the African Union as a whole. The Liberian Leader notably described the President-Elect as a distinguished and seasoned leader. She then wished for the new Egyptian Leader his personal well-being and success of his administration.

Related Caption:  Pres. Sirleaf Congratulates EL-Sisi(New Dawn Newspaper)

YMCA On The Move

The Liberia YMCA is expected to officially launch a new policy program which would ensure the improvement of livelihood and expanded health intervention to benefit several communities in the country. The program which begins at 10:30 in the Eugene H. Cooper Conference has as its theme: “Securing healthy Lives and Sustainable Livelihoods for Vulnerable Young People in Liberia”. According to release the project aims to improve the economic and health status of  10, 000 venerable young men in 5 target locations including Ganta, Yekepa, Gbarnga, Zorzor and Zwedru respectively located in four counties, Nimba, Bong, Lofa and Grand Gedeh. Under the program vulnerable young men and women are expected to benefit vocational, business, management, and life skill training for 1,000 disadvantaged young people in years one and two while agriculture and skill training would be offered to rural youth, reports In Profile Daily.

Police Appoints New Human Resources Chief

The News Newspaper reports that the Liberian National Police has appointed with immediate effect Ms. Weah Goll as its new Human Resource Chief. Madam Goll, a trained female police officer with ten years of professional experience in policing, was appointed early this week. She is a graduate of the A.M.E. Zion University and has served as one of two deputies in the department for more than four years. On several occasions, Goll served as Acting Chief of the department with distinction and high level of professionalism in human resource management.

Ellen Submits Wildlife Act For Enactment

Presidet Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted to the Liberian Senate for enactment, the National Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management Law of Liberia. According to President Sirleaf, the Act is a manifestation of Liberia's adherence to the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The President made the assertion in a communication addressed to the President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Gbehzohngar Findley. The Liberian leader noted that the Convention on Biological Diversity, among other things, requires signatories to protect certain species of wild flora and mandates the conservation of the eco-system and natural habitat. She said the Act also seeks to protect, maintain and preserve wildlife as a national heritage and to address those central issues concerning wildlife and wildlife habitat. These issues, she said, include the management and protection of wild animals through the use of internationally accepted best practices in ensuring that ownership of wildlife is vested in the state. President Sirleaf pointed out that the Act also ensures that the citizenry make better use of wildlife in accordance with the law. According to her, the Act is in furtherance of Section 9.1 of the National Forestry Reform Law of 2006 that mandates the establishment of a protected forest area network to cover at least 30 percent of the existing forest area of Liberia. The bill, which was read in Session on Tuesday, is co-sponsored by Senator Geraldine Doe-Sheriff of Montserrado County and Senator Nyonblee Lawrence of Grand Bassa County. Following the reading of the communication, Plenary forwarded it to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry for scrutiny and advise, reports the Heritage Newspaper.

Related Caption:Pres. Sirleaf Submits Wildlife Act For Enactment(Insight Newspaper)

UP Chair Donates Chairs To Mano Kongo

According to the Heritage Newspaper, a prominent citizen of Grand Cape Mount County, Cllr. Varney Sherman, has donated 100 plastic chairs worth US$2,000 to the people of Mano River Kongo in Porkpa District. The chairs were presented to the District Commissioner, Lawrence Brown, recently by Grand Cape Mount County Assistant Superintendent for Development, Tenneh Simpson Kpedebah, on behalf of Cllr. Sherman. Superintendent Kpedebah said Cllr. Sherman, who is Chairman of the ruling Unity Party, decided to make the donation because the plight of rural dwellers after the 14-year civil conflict has always claimed his attention. Madame Kpedebah said Cllr. Sherman’s donation was also in response to a recent request made to him by the citizens to assist them with chairs for use in the Town Hall during his recent visit to the district. She noted that Cllr. Sherman has always given assistance to the district, including the construction of the Muslim School, which is ongoing in Damballah Town in the district. She called on local residents to put aside their political, religious and sectional differences and work together for the improvement of the district.

Liberia, amongst other countries to benefit from US Initiative

The U.S. Government is investing more than $1 billion to create about 20 million new electricity connections in sub-Saharan Africa as part of its “Beyond the Grid” Initiative. The African continent has the world’s lowest rates of electrification, a fact that caught the attention of U.S. President Barack Obama when the visited the continent last year. So he announced an ambitious plan to electrify 20 million households in six countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania. U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz visited the Ethiopian Capital this week to formally launch the program, pens the New Dawn Newspaper.

AU Wants GoL to Ratify Instruments

The Inquirer Newspaper writes that The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission to Liberia, Ambassador Oluwatoyin Solaja, has launched a renewed appeal to the National Legislature to ratify the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). Addressing a news conference yesterday at his Sinkor office, Ambassador Solaja called for partnership towards the sensitization, Popularization and ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, lections and Governance (ACDEG). He said this renewed partnership could not have come at a more opportune moment, as the African Union, in partnership with the International Alert, an International Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), which seeks to promote the call for universal values and principles of democracy, good governance human rights and the right to development. In her African Day Speech on May 2, 2014, Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), highlighted the reflections, past present and future of the Africans from all over the continent, including the young and the old, men and women, academics, business groups, government officials, religious institutions and the civil society in general, the AU envoy said.

“AFL Is Ready”

The Inquirer Newspaper writes that in the wake of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) drawdown plan, the Deputy Minister of Operations at the Ministry of Defence, Saint Jerome Larbelee, has reassured the citizenry that in support of the peace process, the Armed Forces of liberia (AFL) is ready to defend the territorial borders of the country. At the closing ceremony marking a “BONEFIRE” field training named and styled “Exercise Watch Over III” in “Little Bassa”, Grand Bassa County on Wednesday, Minister Larbelee assured citizens of that district that authorities at Defense Ministry will enforce that AFL remains a force for good. “We are managing the AFL to continue its regular military exercises. I promise you that the AFL will remain a force for good. In spite of the financial difficulties, we will enforce that,” Minister Larbelee said.

Pres. Sirleaf to Dedicate Chief Suah Koko Center

The Daily Observer Newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is expected to perform the dedicatory ceremony for the Angie Brooks International Center (ABIC) for Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security’s Chief Suah Koko Center for Rural Women’s Empowerment on Monday, June 9. The ceremony is going to form part of activities commemorating five years of existence of ABIC. Tevent will take place at the newly constructed edifice of the Chief Suah Koko Center situated on the campus of Cuttington University in Suakoko, Bong County and will be graced by senior government officials, traditional leaders, local authorities, national and international partners including the Executive Director of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Dr. Theodosia Sowa.