THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2015

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s travel to the United States on official duty, the Chinese Government’s five million United States dollars donation to Liberia, the World Lebanese Culture Union concurrence with President Johnson Sirleaf’s demand for all Liberian girls in Lebanon to be brought back to Liberia and the launch of Liberia’s first industrial rice processing facility are stories dominating our summary of today’s local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Prez. Sirleaf Off To The USA

The Daily Observer reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has departed the country for an official visit to Washington, D.C, the United States of America. The daily writes that the Liberian leader will be away til April 21, responding to an invitation extended by the President of the World Bank, Dr.Jim Yong Kim to participate in discussion with international partners on the status of the containment of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and plan for post-Ebola reconstruction of the three worst Ebola affected countries-Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Related Captions: Ellen Off To U.S.(The News), President Off To US(New Democrat), President Off To The United States Of America On An Official Visit(INSIGHT)

China Makes Huge Humanitarian Donations

The People’s Republic of China’s intention to cement relations with Liberia continues to be manifested as the country turned over equipment and materials worth about US$5 million to the Liberian Government.. The equipment and logistical materials turned over yesterday to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf by chine Ambassador, Zhang Yue, include 20 ambulances, 20 pickup trucks, 10 incinerators, 100 motorcycles, 150 hospital beds, 4000 sets of healthcare products, 60,000 sets of PPEs, 20,000 bottles of hand washing disinfectant, and 215 sets of assorted medical instrument, 645 sprayers, and 215 infra-red thermometers. President Sirleaf in response to the gesture acknowledged the role of China in Liberia and thanked Ambassador Yue and the People’s Republic of China for the assistance given Liberia in its time of need, Daily Observer writes.

Related Captions: China Donates US$5 Million Worth Of Assorted Medical Supplies And Equipment To Liberia(Heritage), China Gives More To Defeat Ebola(The Inquirer), China Makes US$5M Donation(New Democrat), China Donates US$5 Million Worth Of Assorted Medical Supplies And Equipment To Liberia(INSIGHT), China Makes Huge Donation Again-Gives US$5M Medical Supplies, Equipment(In Profile Daily), China Donates US$5 Million Materials(The New Dawn), ‘A Big Surprise’-Pres. Sirleaf Applauds China(The Analyst)

The Girls Must Come Back’…Says Pres. Sirleaf Of “Trafficked Girls”

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told Liberians that every effort would be made to bring back some Liberian girls who were reportedly trafficked to Lebanon. In recent times there have been reports in the media that some individuals trafficked many Liberian girls to that country, some of whom are said to be working as “sex slaves” than housemaids, for which they were reportedly taken to that country. Commenting on the issue and others yesterday when she met members of the Liberian media at the Foreign Ministry, President Sirleaf said the Liberian government is equally concerned, something for which the government dispatched the delegation to that country, the Inquirer newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Liberian Girls Disappeared In Lebanon-Says Ellen(FOCUS), Three More Girls Expected From Lebanon(New Democrat). In a related development, the President of the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU), Ezzat N. Eid told a news conference Monday that his office in collaboration with some higher ups in government have been working behind the scenes to ensure the safe return of Liberian girls reportedly trafficked in Lebanon.  According to him, reports concerning the alleged trafficking of Liberians girls have troubled the entire Lebanese Community, reports the Daily Observer under the caption  ”Lebanese Regrets Brutal Treatment Of Liberian Girls In Lebanon”.

Related Captions: Action Speaks Louder Than Words-Lebanese Community On Efforts For Girls In Lebanon(The Inquirer), Lebanese Community Breaks Silence-Condemns Humiliating Liberian Girls(The Analyst), Liberian Lebanese Community ‘Situation Is Damaging’(FrontPage Africa)

President Sirleaf Urges IFC To Empower Liberians – Dedicates Two Liberian-Owned Businesses

The Daily Observer reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has challenged the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to do more to empower Liberians into bigger ventures and businesses that would lead to export rather than just small scale businesses. President Sirleaf thanked Fabrar for staying the course though it has taken them five years to reach thus far. Also speaking during the program, the United States Ambassador to Liberia, Deborah Malac said the US Government is extremely pleased to be part of this process and expressed her country’s commitment to working with Liberians to improve the agriculture sector. “There is no reason this beautiful country and this extremely fertile country is not able to feed itself”, she said.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf And U.S. Ambassador Malac Inaugurate Liberia’s First Industrial Rice Processing Facility(The Inquirer), President Sirleaf And U.S. Amb. Malac Inaugurate Liberia’s First Industrial Rice Processing Facility(INSIGHT), Liberia Inaugurates Rice Processing Facility(The New Dawn), Ellen, US Envoy Inaugurate Liberia’s First Industrial Rice Processing Facility(The Informer), Ellen, U.S. Envoy Inaugurate Liberia’s First Industrial rice Processing Facility(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

Ellen Outlines Phase 5 Agenda

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has outlined phase 5 of her government’s agenda as health, education, agriculture, infrastructure, development and peace. In a press chat with media managers, senior editors and foreign correspondents on Monday in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia, President Sirleaf spoke of a pending meeting by the highly affected Ebola countries (Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone) with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on Post-Ebola reconstruction that involves regional and national dimension, the New Dawn newspaper reports.

MoA Get New Equipment To Monitor And Evaluate System

The United States Agency for International Development Food and Enterprise Development (USAID  FED), OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED Bong County’s Monitoring and Evaluation pilot program This program will enhance the Ministry of Agriculture’s (MoA) ability to monitor ongoing programs in Bong County. USAID FED Chief of Party, Agnes Luz, presented assorted technical equipment to the MoA to support the District Agricultural Officers’ work, INSIGHT newspaper reports.

Ellen Names Gov’t’s ‘Biggest Challenge’

Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has named the integration of Ebola survivors into their communities, void of stigmatization, as the ‘biggest challenge’ of her government. The Liberian leader noted that Ebola survivors need to live in places where people do not see them as abnormal people but rather as people who are normal because they have been cured. She made the comment in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia on Monday when she held a Te-ta-te with media executives on issues of national concerns and to strengthen the relationship between the government and the media, FOCUS newspaper reports.

Liberia Craves PRC’s Help For Private Sector Development

The People’s Republic of China (PRC), has been urged by the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to partner with Liberia in building its private sector. President Sirleaf made the statement at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Stadium in Paynesville on Monday when the Chinese Government through its Embassy near Monrovia handed over a huge consignment of donated items valued at US$5 million to assist with Liberia’s post-Ebola recovery, FOCUS newspaper reports

MercyCorps Hosts National Confab On Ebola

MercyCorps has begun a 2-day National Conference on Ebola. The conference which is being attended by the media as well as officials from the Ministry of Health and representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) among other. According to MercyCorps Country Representative, Madam Penelope Anderson, the purpose of the conference is to capture the wisdom of the partners who help to fight the Ebola virus and to restore health system for the country, FOCUS newspaper reports.

Health Ministry Gets Medical Supplies

An international medical group under the banner, ‘Pangagea’ has presented anti bacterial materials value at US$80,000 to the Ministry of health and Social Welfare. Pangagea is an antimicrobials company based in the United States of America. The group’s Chief Executive Officer Harold Grant said the presentation was his company’s way of contributing to the improvement of Liberia’s health Sector. Receiving the items, outgoing Deputy Health Minister for Administration Matthew Flomo said the initiative will help in the restoration of basic health services in the country, the News newspaper reports.

Ebola Drop In Liberia, Guinea, S/Leone – Says UNMEER

The United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) has reported a drastic decline in the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the three most affected Ebola hit countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, West Africa INFO POST reports

Liberian Woman Heads WAEC After 62yrs

Ex-Liberian Education Minister, Dr. Evelyn Kandakai, has been elected the 18^th Chairman of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) at the 63^rd Annual Meeting of the Council held in Lagos, Nigeria. Dr. Kandakai is the first female to be elected to the position in the 63 years history of the Council. Her election is for three year tenure in line with the Councils’ Convention. She succeeds Emeritus Professor P.A.I. Obanya of Nigeria, who was elected in March 2012, the New Dawn newspaper reports.

Min. Ngafuan Recounts Germany’s Commitment

Foreign Minister Augustine K. Ngafuan has extolled the Federal Republic of Germany for keeping its diplomatic mission operational throughout the peak of the Ebola pandemic and by honoring Liberia with visits by high profile officials. According to him, in September 2014 Ambassador George Wilfried Schmidt, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel visited Liberia while Mr. Walter J. Lindner, German Ebola Coordinator to West Africa came in October 2014. According to a Foreign Ministry release, Minister Ngafuan was speaking at the weekend when a 30 man German delegation visiting Liberia paid a courtesy call on him at the Foreign Ministry in Monrovia, In Profile Daily reports.

Colinbo Hails Pres. Sirleaf – For Appointing Fombah Trawally

The Concerned Liberian International Business Organization (COLINBO) has hailed President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the appointment of its President Fombah Trawally to the City Council of the Paynesville City Corporation. In a release, COLINBO described the action by the president as visionary, selfless, encouraging and a recognition of what the group called grass root effforts by an ordinary Liberian who has grown from mat to mattress in the business sector,  The New Republic reports.