THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014

 The Foreign Ministry's clarification on the status of the country's mission in Lebanon, the World Bank President's assurance to Liberian delegation at the World Bank, the  IMF annual meetings convening in Washington DC, the USA and the news of the death of eight persons who died as a result of a fire incident in Monrovia are among stories dominating the local dailies highlighted in   our summary for today.

DOMINANT STORIES

No Liberian Embassy In Lebanon

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that Liberia  maintains an honorary Consulate in the Lebanese Capitol since the Liberian Embassy in Beirut  was closed more than 30 years ago. the Ministry's clarification comes in the wake  of a publications about the existence of a Liberian Embassy in Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon with a Lebanese Chief of Mission. The INSIGHT quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that the Government of Liberia recently took an action to regularize the status of Liberia’s Honorary Consul in Beirut as part of the review process for the appointment of Liberia’s Honorary Consuls around the world.  With respect to the  Liberian women that were taken to Lebanon under an alleged pretext  of providing  jobs for them, measures are being taken by the Government of Liberia in collaboration with the authorities in Lebanon to locate and return the young ladies to Liberia as soon as possible based on the outcomes of the investigation.

Related Captions: Who Heads Liberia Embassy in Lebanon?(FOCUS), Consulate, Not Embassy in Lebanon-GOL Clarifies(In Profile Daily), Liberia Regularizes Honorary Consul Status in Beirut(The New Dawn)

“We Are With You” – World Bank President Tells Liberia

World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim says the world community is united with West Africa and Liberia in a concerted global effort to safeguard lives in the wake of an Ebola outbreak, noting “we are with you and will stand by you”. He said over many years, the world community “has failed to make (basic health care) accessible to low income people in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Se. Kim made the remarks at a special organized meeting with the Liberia delegation on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF annual meetings convening in Washington DC, USA, INSIGHT reports.

Related Captions: World Community Is United With West Africa & Liberia...World Bank President Tells Liberian Delegation(Heritage), "We Are With You"-World Bank President Assures Liberia  (The New Republic), World Bank President Gives Liberian Delegation Assurance(In Profile Daily)

Fire Wipes Out Family Of 8

Only the charred remains of Mr. Amadou Sow – a business man – and his family of eight were recovered from the fire that gutted the top floor of the building at about 2:00 am Thursday morning, the National Fire Service has confirmed. The two-storey building, located at the intersection of Gurely and Carrey Streets hosts several stores on the ground floor while the top floor serve as offices and residence. The spokesman for the Liberia National Fire Service, Col. Jassah N. Ganyan, told the INSIGHT that investigation is going on and could not say the cause of the fire. However, Mr. Sow and his family could not easily escape because several iron gates they had to unlock before making their way to the main stair case. INSIGHT reports.

Related Captions: Fire Claims Family of 6 in Monrovia (Daily Observer), Fire Disaster... Leaves 8 Dead(The News), Fire Disaster Kills Fulani Family(FOCUS), Diamond Dealer, Wife, Kids Perish in Fire(FrontPage Africa), 8 Burnt to Death in Monrovia (Heritage), Fire Kills 8 Persons in Central Monrovia(The New Republic), Fire Kills Entire Family(The New Dawn), Fire Kills Family, Several Others (Inquirer)

130 More US Marines Arrive

One hundred and thirty United States Marines arrived in Liberia yesterday afternoon making them a total of three hundred plus in Liberia. Upon arrival, their temperatures were checked. A team of reporters was led by U.S. Ambassador, Debora R. Malac to the 25 bed medical center that is being built  in Margibi county by the U.S. Military. The head of the medical center Dr. Scott Giberson, who is the Acting Deputy Surgeon General of the United States of America said the medical center will be finished in a couple of days, Inquirer writes.

Related Captions: More US Troops, Equipment Arrive(Daily Observer), More US Troops Arrive (New Democrat)

Liberia Marks World Post Day

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MOPT) on Thursday, October 9, 2014 observed World Post Day. World Post day is celebrated each year on 9 October. It is the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in Swiss capital, Bern. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1969. In a statement issued in Monrovia, the government says it finds the day quite difficult to be celebrated due to the outbreak of Ebola in the country, FOCUS writes.

Related Captions: Ebola   Halts World Post Day Program(INSIGHT), Ebola Overshadows 'World Post Day'-As Postal Affairs Consoles Victims(In Profile Daily)

Gov’t Activates ECOWAS Seed, Fertilizer And Pesticide Regulation – To Stimulate Growth In The Agriculture Sector

The Government of Liberia (GoL) has activated national Seed, Fertilizer and Pesticide regulations after publishing ECOWAS regulations in the country’s National Gazette in in September 2014. The move towards a more harmonized and regulated sector is meant to provide farmers and agribusinesses with protective measures that will assure quality and safety when acquiring and using agro-inputs.  It will facilitate the establishment of an Independent National Seed Board that will help to organize the seed sector and improve Liberia’s seed program as well as other agricultural inputs,” explains Dr. Moses Zinnah, Director of Program Management Unit at the Ministry of Agriculture,  New Republic reports.

Related Captions: GOL Activates ECOWAS Seed, Fertilizer And  Pesticide Regulations-To Stimulate Growth in the Agriculture Sector(In Profile Daily)

OTHER STORIES

Liberia’s Development Agenda ‘Interrupted By Ebola’, Sirleaf Says

 Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf says Liberia’s development agenda was interrupted by the Ebola outbreak, which started in March and returned with intensity in June, spreading into the capital city where one third of the population resides. Speaking via video-link during a meeting of the World Bank Thursday, the Liberian leader blamed her government’s slow response to the outbreak to what she described as limited understanding of the disease, low human capacity and a slow international response, which prompted the disease to quickly outpaced the government’s ability to contain it,”  FrontPage  Africa reports.

Sweden Gives More Funds To Ebola Fight

Sweden on Tuesday allocated an additional SEK 105 million (about $14.6m) in humanitarian support to efforts aimed at stopping the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Following a decision by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the funds will primarily be given to UN bodies (UNICEF, WHO and WFP) in their joint efforts to fight the epidemic. This means that Sweden’s total contribution to fight the epidemic amounts to some SEK 145 million ($20.2m)

CASE-Liberia Gives Medical Assistance To ELWA Unit 2

The Citizens Alliance To Stop Ebola (CASE) has given some medical assistance to the  ELWA Unit 2 to help curtail the spread of the deadly Ebola virus that the country is now faced with. Speaking to journalists at the ELWA Hospital, CASE-Liberia Secretary General, Pailet Johnson said, “It has been discovered that “ miracle drug” selenium has contributed to many people walking out of the Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) and CASE-Liberia being a consultant of civil society, citizens and amongst others. He said that their aim is to have zero transmission and zero infection and they will stand by that to ensure that their aim is accomplished Inquirer reports.

Government Commences Hazard Payment

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning says modalities have been completed for the payment of the hazard allowance to health workers working in Ebola Treatment Unites (ETU). Payment started on Thursday, October 9, 2014.  The Ministry said health workers who have provided their banking details will receive their hazard allowances into their banks accounts immediately, FOCUS reports.

 Plan Liberia To Build Homes For Ebola Orphans In Bomi

Plan Liberia has disclosed plans to construct orphanages in three districts in Bomi County, an official of the charity has disclosed. Mr. Alphan Kabba, acting head of the Program Management Unit of Plan Liberia, the homes will be constructed in Senjeh, Klay and Suehn-Mecca districts for children whose parents were victims of the Ebola virus in Bomi County, INSIGHT reports.

Today Is World Mental Health Day

The Mental Health Leadership and Advocacy Program (MhLap) in Liberia is today joining their colleagues in over 150 nations worldwide to celebrate  World Mental Health Day. The day is being held under the theme: “Shine the Spotlight on Living with Schizophrenia”. However, Mrs. Sametta T. Thomas, Country Facilitator of MhLap, told the Daily Observer that they have dedicated their celebration to the ongoing national Ebola fight.

Related Caption: World Mental Health Day To Be Celebrated(FOCUS)

FAO Empowers Agriculture

According to the New Democrat newspaper, i response to a request from the Government of Liberia through Agriculture Minister Dr. Florence Chenoweth, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has donated  several agro machines to the Ministry of Agriculture for use by farmers in communities most-affected by Ebola. The Daily writes that the equipment which included three  motorized cassava graters, two rice mills with de-stoners as well as 500 (50kg) empty rice bags, will be used to support farmers mainly women in communities hard-hit by the Ebola virus.

Another Medical Doctor Dies

The New Democrat newspaper reports that a Uganda-born doctor, John Taban Dad, Died of Ebola early Thursday morning at a treatment center outside Monrovia, sources disclosed. Deputy   Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah confirmed Dr. Dada's death saying he was to be buried without delay.

Related Caption: Another Doctor Dies(The New Dawn)

 No Time To End Ebola – CDC Communication Expert Reveals

The Communication Expert of the Control, one of the foremost institutions deeply involved in the struggle to fight Ebola has said that the institution does not have sufficient information about the time the virus will be contained for calm to return to the country. Madam Jana Telt said while it is true that she is not a medical expert of health practitioner, the Center cannot give a definite time as it relates to the eradication of the Ebola Virus in the country, The New Republic reports.