THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

Today’s summary of the local dailies highlight the Republics of Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire reaffirmation of their commitment to strengthen the existing bilateral cooperation and tighten border security between the two countries, President Johnson Sirleaf call for Liberians to unite and take advantage of opportunities to move the country forward, the projection of West Africa losing  an average of at least US$3.6 billion per year between 2014 and 2017 as a result of the Ebola crisis in the region and the Liberian Government’s commitment to provide financial assistance to companies that were affected by the Ebola virus.

The official launch of the Liberian Biometric ECOWAS Passports Application Center (PAC) in Belgium by the Government of Liberia is also highlighted.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia, Cote D’Ivoire Agree To Tighten Security

The Daily Observer quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that the Republics of Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire as well as the two United Nations Missions in both countries have concluded the 3rd Quadripartite Meeting with parties reaffirming their commitment to strengthen the existing bilateral cooperation and tighten border security between Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire. The release said the parties, on the issue of security and humanitarian situation, expressed deep satisfaction over the improvements in the security situation, especially progress made regarding the consolidation of peace and security in both countries. They hailed efforts by both Governments to stabilize the region through genuine peace and reconciliation. They also acknowledged that the security situation remains fragile in the border regions; hence the necessity to pursue the reinforcement of their cooperation for peace and security consolidation through regular cross-border meetings, confidence building measures, and sharing of information between the security agencies of both countries. The governments of Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and Operation of the United Nations Mission in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), during the event held on March 10 also agreed that the Second Session of the Joint Council of Chiefs and Elders Meeting (JCCEM) will take place in May in the western Ivorian city of Guiglo. It may be recalled that the First Session of the Joint Council of Chiefs and Elders Meeting was held in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County in 2013.  It brought together Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Alassane Outtara of Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, respectively, along with scores of chiefs from both countries. The parties also agreed to hold the Sixth Liberia-Ivory Coast Joint Commission Meeting for Bilateral Cooperation in April. The meeting also reaffirmed the importance of the support of both United Nations missions to the security institutions of both countries in conducting joint security operations in the border regions. On the humanitarian front, the Parties lauded the resumption of the Tripartite Commission meeting which took place on 12 and 13 March 2015 in Abidjan. The Tripartite Commission met to discuss issues concerning the voluntary return of Ivorian refugees in Liberia, the institution of control mechanisms to prevent the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease across the borders, among other issues. The Ivorian Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Charles Kofi Diby, in his opening remarks welcomed his Liberian counterpart and delegation to Cote d’Ivoire, and saluted efforts of the Liberia Government in the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus. He reaffirmed his government’s fullest support and solidarity with the Government and people of Liberia in the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease. The Liberian Foreign Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, for his part, recalled the success of the first and second Quadripartite meetings held in 2012 and 2013 in Abidjan and Monrovia, respectively, and the Joint Council of Chiefs and Elders’ meetings held in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County in 2013. Also speaking at the gathering, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) of the United Nations, Karin Landgren, reiterated the United Nations’ commitment to working alongside the two Governments to address the challenges of Ebola and other security and health related issues in the border areas of both countries. Ms. Landgren further acknowledged the efforts of the Governments of Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia to facilitate the voluntary return of Ivorian refugees from Liberia. Foreign Minister Ngafuan led the Liberian delegation that included Internal Affairs Minister Morris M. Dukuly, National Security Advisor    Henry B. Fahnbulleh, Jr., Saint Jerome Larbelee, Deputy Minister of Defense for Operations and other senior representatives of other government institutions. 

Related Captions: Liberia, Ivory Coast To Tighten Border Security(INSIGHT), Liberia, Cote D’ Ivoire Commit To Tighten Bilateral Cooperation & Border Security At 3^rd Quadripartite Meeting(FrontPage Africa), At 3^rd Quadripartite Meeting: Parties Commit To Tighten Bilateral Cooperation & Security B/W Liberia & Cote D’ivoire(Heritage), Liberia, Cote D’ Ivoire Commit To Border Security(The News), Liberia, Cote D’ Ivoire Commit To Tighten Ties(In Profile Daily)

Sirleaf Urges Liberia To Sieze Window Of Opportunity

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is calling on all Liberians to unite, take advantage of opportunities to move the country forward.  “I appeal to all Liberians to do your part, whatever that part is, to ensure that we move the country forward so that the goals we have set we can achieve those goals through a united, collective effort of everybody,” the Liberian leader urged. The FrontPage Africa newspaper said President Sirleaf made the assertion when she addressed the gathering at the Effort Baptist Church in Paynesville during a Special Thanksgiving and Welcoming Service held for her safe arrival back home late Friday, March 13, 2015, after a three-week visit to the United States of America and Europe. The Liberian leader indicated that the country’s progress in the Ebola fight has presented it with a window of opportunity that can be used to come together as a people, work together to achieve the goals as a country, put aside all the bickering and to move the country forward while this window is opened. President Sirleaf warned that this window will not remain open forever as there was a likelihood that some other global threat or circumstance might arise that could divert the attention of the international community. She emphasized that each individual has to take responsibility for the progress of Liberia. President Sirleaf reiterated that others, including the international community, are there to support our efforts; but reminded Liberians that they will not do what we are not willing to do for our country. “The primary responsibility will rest on us”. The Liberian leader admonished everyone to put aside their differences, take responsibility and work harder than ever before with commitment and dedication for the development of the country including achieving the country’s Agenda for Transformation while the window remain opened.

Related Captions: President Woos Liberians(New Democrat), Ellen Returns From U.S., Others(The Inquirer), Liberians Challenged To Unite, Utilize Opportunity(In Profile Daily), ‘Let’s Unite, Take Advantage Of Opportunity’ -Prez Sirleaf(Daily Observer), Do Your Part-President Sirleaf Urges Liberians(The New Dawn)

West Africa To Lose US$3.6 Billion Annually from 2014-17 Due To Ebola

The Heritage newspaper says West Africa may lose an average of at least US$3.6 billion per year between 2014 and 2017 as a result of the Ebola crisis in the region, a United Nations report has said. According to the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) report, the downturn is due to a decrease in trade, closing of borders, flight cancellations and reduced Foreign Direct Investment and tourism activity, fuelled by the Ebola stigma. West African nations that experienced low or zero incidence of Ebola have already been affected by the Ebola crisis because of their deep connections with the three most affected countries, said the report released in new York recently. “The consequences of Ebola are vast”, said Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, the Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa.

Related Captions: West Africa To Lose US$3.6bn Annually From 2014-17Due To Ebola(INSIGHT), From 2014 To 2017: West Africa May lose US$ 3.6 Million Per Year: UN(FOCUS), West Africa To Lose US$3.6bn(West Africa INFO POST)

Ellen To Offer Financial Help To Companies Affected By Ebola

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says her government will provide financial help to companies that were affected by the Ebola virus disease as part of efforts to restart the country’s stalled economy. Before the epidemic erupted last year, Liberia’s economy was projected to grow 5.9% annually. But the outbreak of the disease put it to a halt, as construction projects stalled and companies fled the country. On an official visit to the U.S. to lobby for new aid, the Liberian leader, who gained international praise as Africa’s first female head of state following her election in 2005, said her priorities were to rebuild Liberia’s health-care system, restart infrastructure improvement projects and attract foreign investors. “I will implement my agenda,” she said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday in New York. She acknowledged the damage done by the outbreak, including mistakes by her government in responding to the crisis, but argued that the cooperation generated by the campaign to combat Ebola could be harnessed to help get her country back on track, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Ellen: Gol To Provide Financial Help To Ebola-Affected Firms(Heritage), Gov’t Assures Financial Support For Ebola Affected Firms(FOCUS), Gov’t To Offer Financial Aid(West Africa INFO POST)

OTHER STORIES

GOL Opens Biometric ECOWAS Passport Center In Brussels

According to the In Profile Daily, the Government of Liberia has officially launched the Liberian Biometric ECOWAS Passports Application Center (PAC) in the schengen zone of Europe at the Liberian Embassy near Brussels, Belgium. The program took place on Saturday, March 14, 2015. Launching the Liberian Biometric ECOWAS Passports Application Center, Liberia's Ambassador-designate to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and the European Union, Isaac W. Nyenabo, II said the center will ease the hardships, frustration and financial cost of Liberians living in the schengen zone of Europe in obtaining a passport. He challenged members of the Liberian Communities in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Luxenburg and others to work close together and play an important role in the development of their country. The Director of Passports and Visas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Nyanda Finda-Davis said the center has now finally concluded a long discussion that had been taking place in the wake of calls made by Liberians living in the schengen zone to authorities of the Government. Mrs. Finda-Davis said the center has introduced measures that will ensure that genuine Liberians are processed, screened and issued passports while others who are not Liberians but holding Liberian passports or travel documents will have those documents retrieved. She called on members of the Liberian Community to assist and work closely with the center in ensuring their work is done without hindrance. The President of the Liberian Community in Belgium, Kingston Wleh commended President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan for the opening of the center in Brussels, Belgium. Mr. Wleh said President Sirleaf and Minister Ngafuan at different times assured them of the opening of the passport center and they were pleased that those promises have been realized. At the official launching program, a Liberian Kathy Dunabr was presented her Liberia ECOWAS Biometric passport as the first person to receive her passport at the center. Later 22 other Liberians received their passports amidst joy and jubilation.

Related Caption: Liberian Passports Found With Non-Liberians To Be Retrieved(In Profile Daily)

No More Ebola By April 13, If..-Tolbert Nyenswah

The head of Liberia’s Incident Management System or IMS, Assistant Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah says Liberia will be declared Ebola-free on April 13, if there is no more cases of the deadly Ebola virus. Minister Nyenswah noted that if Liberia will be declared Ebola-free on April 13, Liberians would need to be more vigilant because the neighboring Mano River countries of Guinea and Sierra Leone were still carrying the virus. He said Liberia has been counting 0 case from March 2nd, 2015, also indicating that the last case contacts at the St. Paul Bridge ending on the 11th on March were negative, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption: One Month For Ebola-Free Certificate(New Democrat)

Ellen To Address Ebola Conference

The first National Ebola Conference focusing on the perspectives of community leaders is expected to take place at a local hotel in Monrovia from March 19-20, 2015. The conference is being organized by NAYMOTE and IREX with funding from USAID. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been invited to serve as keynote speaker at the event, The NEWS newspaper asserts. According to IREX, community members will share their experiences with officials of government, local and international organization actors under the theme, “Ebola’s Impact on communities: Learning from their experiences to plan for the future”, the News newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Ebola Conference On Community Leaders Begins Thursday (The News)

10 Candidates For R’cess By-Election

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has released the Provisional List of 10 candidates for the Rivercess County Electoral District # 2 Representative By-Election, scheduled for 21 April. The NEC released the list Tuesday, March 10th following the Nomination exercise of candidates desirous of contesting for the seat. According to the provisional list, 10 persons have expressed interest in contesting the by-election in the district. A press release issued in Monrovia Wednesday, said nine political parties are in the race, including the Congress for Democratic Change or CDC, Alternative National Congress (ANC), Unity Party, National Patriotic Party (NPP), and Union of Liberian Democrats. Other political parties that have expressed interest in the race include Liberty Party, National Democratic Coalition, People’s Unification Party and the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC). The Provisional List of Candidates also reveals that only one Independent Candidate, Hilary Mento, applied to contest the election while all of the candidates, except one, is a female. The release said the NEC has already begun evaluating the list of candidates to ensure that only individuals, who meet the legal requirements, are allowed to contest the by-election, according to the New Dawn newspaper.

LEC Loses US$1.4m Monthly

The Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Electricity Cooperation (LEC), Joseph T. Mayah, has said that the corporation is losing an estimated US$1.4 million monthly due to electricity theft in the country. Mr. Mayah made the disclosure last Friday at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing. According to him, electricity theft has imposed a huge financial loss on the corporation, making it difficult to pay workers, buy fuel to run the generators and maintain the equipment. Mr. Mayah said LEC has about 30,000 customers in four zones currently, with 8,000 of them pre-paid customers.  He used the occasion to warn Liberians to desist from electricity theft and pay for services provided by the corporation, adding: “You will not feel good if you are paying while others are in the habit of stealing the current”. He then appealed to citizens to report anyone found ‘stealing’ electricity from nearby communities in Monrovia writes the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: LEC Loses US$1.4m Monthly…From Power Theft(The News). In a related development, the INSIGHT newspaper writes that theProject Implementation Unit (PIU) has returned to Liberia to resume rehabilitation work on the Mount Coffee Hydro Plant in Harrisburg, Montserrado County. Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) Chief Executive Officer Joseph Mayah told the Information Ministry regular press briefing Friday that the PIU is currently preparing to begin work in full swing shortly. Under the caption “Mount Coffee Hydro Rehabilitation To Resume Soon- PIU Returns”, Mr.Mayah noted that the implementation of the project will put the LEC in a better position to provide improved and affordable electricity services to its customers.

Over 200 Ghanaian Soldiers Arrive

Two hundred and thirty four soldiers, including 20 commissioned officers of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) GHANBATT 21 of the Ghana Armed Forces have arrived for a one-year peacekeeping mission in Liberia. UNMIL GHANBATT 21 under the Command of Lt. Col Edward Awaribey, is the first out of three batches that departed from the Kotoka International Airport for Liberia on February 20, 2015, to take over the mentle of command from UNMIL Ghanbatt 20, which is about to end its six-month duty tour. In a pre-departure interview with the Daily Graphic, Lieutenant Maxwell m. Asola Fadola of the Directorate of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces explained that the mission was to maintain peace and security in Liberia in support of the government, News Democrat says.

Small Arms, UNMIL On Arms Marking Training

The Liberia National Commission one Small Arms in collaboration with UNMIL will conduct a four-day intensive arms marking training workshop today at the UNMIL’s Star base, Bushrod Island, Liberia. Workshop participants include officers from the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL); the Liberia National Police (LNP); the Executive Protection Services (EPS); National Security Agency (NSA);   Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN); and staff of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms. Chairman Fromayan of the National Commission on Small Arms will speak on the topic: “Introduction to national Legislation and Regulatory control in Liberia”. UNREC will make another presentation entitled: Introduction to Best Practice Standards, New Democrat reports. 

USAID FED Launches National Diploma In Agriculture Program

USAID FED, program for Liberia in partnership with the Ministry of Education is expected to launch the first ever National Diploma in Agriculture today.  The event will take place at the Booker Washington Institute in Kataka. The FrontPage Africa newspaper quotes a statement from USAID-FED as saying that the National Diploma for Agriculture (NDA) is an innovative, skills-focused two-year Vocational Diploma that prepares high school graduates to move directly into agricultural employment in the formal sector or through entrepreneurship.  Students will graduate with marketable, in-demand skills that will give them expanded employment options tied to the country’s growing agricultural market and industry needs. The NDA is the country’s first TVET curriculum that is harmonized with the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) vocational agriculture curriculum and represents an important step towards regional integration.