THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MAY  12, 2015

News of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf officially receiving WHO Ebola-Free Declaration  and her assertion that the challenge Liberia faces now is to work with Sierra Leone and Guinea to eradicate the disease, the induction of new Liberian members into the ECOWAS Parliament by that august body,  the Liberian president’scommendationtoEU for its ‘Enormous Support to Liberia’s recovery and the  signing of  US$50M for Liberia’s post Ebola economic recovery as budgetary support for health, justice, security and decentralization are among stories dominating our summary of today’s local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

‘Liberating Guinea, S/Leone, The Next Challenge’-President Sirleaf, as WHO Presents ‘Ebola-free Statement’ to Gov’t

 Portraying the example of a selfless leader who is seeking the interests of her neighbors, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said now the challenge for her and the Liberian Government is “turning all attention to Guinea and Sierra Leone until they are Ebola free, too”. Those sisterly nations are still reporting confirmed cases and once the virus is still present in those neighboring countries, Liberia is not totally out of the woods.President Sirleaf made the remarks at the formal program marking the official presentation of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) statement declaring Liberia Ebola transmission free. The President highly commended everyone who helped Liberia achieve this feat. The event was held at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia yesterday.She urged Liberians to join efforts to ensure that neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone are liberated from the grips of the deadly virus.The chief guest at the celebration was Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé. Pres. Gnassingbé came along with three of his senior cabinet ministers. Ghanaian Foreign Minister Hanna Serwaa Tetteh represented President John Mahama, who is Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).Among the top Liberian government officials, were Vice President Joseph Boakai and leaders of the two other branches of government, House Speaker Alex Tyler and Chief Justice Francis Korkpor. President Pro-Tempore Armah Z. Jallah was also in attendance as were Cabinet Ministers and other government officials.Members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of bilateral and multilateral organizations in the country also graced the occasion, Daily Observerwrites.

Related Caption: EJSOfficially Receives WHO Ebola-Free Declaration – Says Challenge Now Is To work With S. Leone, Guinea(FrontPage Africa), Celebration Marks Ebola End (New Democrat), Liberia Celebrates ‘Ebola-Freedom’ (FOCUS).

ECOWAS Parliament Inducts New Liberian Members

 Deliberates On Xenophobic Attacks, African Immigrants’ Plight, Elections

 The First Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament opened yesterday in Abuja, Nigeria, with the induction of new members from Liberia. The xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the plight of African immigrants and elections conducted recently in some member states topped the agenda. The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Ike Ekweremadu, swore in Liberia’s Montserrado County Senator George Weah.  Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba County, who was elected to the ECOWAS Parliament, was absent for the swearing-in program. Senators Weah and Johnson replaced Mobutu V. Nyenpan, and Theodore Momoh, both former Senators and outgoing members of the ECOWAS Parliament from Sinoe and Gbarpolu counties respectively, Daily Observer writes.

Related Caption:Weah, Other Sworn In At ECOWAS’ Parliament (New Dawn), ECOWAS’ Parliament Inducts New Liberian Members (New Democrat), ECOWAS’ Parliament Inducts New Liberian Members (In Profile Daily),ECOWAS’Parliament Inducts New Liberian Members (Insight)

President Sirleaf Praises EU For ‘Enormous Support’-Urges Easing Liberians’ Pain inTraveling to Europe

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has hailed the European Union (EU) for its enormous contributions to Liberia to help eradicate the Ebola virus as well as its direct budgetary support.

“It is a most pleasing coincidence that we join in celebrating European Union Day this year on the very day the World Health Organization (WHO) declares Liberia Ebola free,” she said, adding, “This convergence of celebrations provides the opportunity, perhaps the work of Providence, to pay deserving tribute to the European Union for its enormous contribution to our efforts to eradicate the deadly Ebola Virus Disease from Liberia.” President Sirleaf made the remarks at a reception last Friday at the residence of the EU Delegate to Liberia, Madam Tina Intelmann, in observance of EU Day. The EU, said President Sirleaf, had made a total financial contribution of over €1.2 billion through the WHO and other organizations to combat the epidemic in the three worst affected countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Going further, she highlighted that the EU has provided essential budget support to the country to help offset the negative impact of the Ebola virus disease on the economy and the attendant revenue shortfall,  Daily Observer reports.

Related Caption: Ellen Hails Eu For Enormous Support( The News)

GoL, EU Sign US$50M For Post Ebola Economic Recovery-As Budgetary Support for Health, Justice, Security and Decentralization

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of  Finance and Development Planning yesterday signed US$50.8 million "State Building Contract" with the European Union. The State Building Contract (SBC) is a program which is part of the EU’s co-operation with Liberia, and will provide funds to focus on health services, after the Ebola crisis and supporting justice and security services in anticipation of UNMIL’s drawdown. Signing on behalf of the European Union, Madam Tiina Intelmann, EU Ambassador accredited to Liberia, said the project is the first of the wider EUR 279M (approx. 315M USD) Liberia-EU multi-year programme that was signed in Brussels in March, during the International Ebola Recovery Conference. For his part, Mr. Amara Konneh, Minister of Finance Development Planning, said the signing of the agreement marks the beginning of a long journey to national recovery, adding that it will take a lot of time and resources to get there,  Daily Observer reports.

Related caption: EU, GOL SIGN US$50.8M CONTRACT (The News), EU, Liberia Sign US$50.8M State Building Contract (In Profile Daily)

US Envoy Nudge Liberians To Uphold Ebola Protocols

The United States Ambassador to Liberia Debora Ruth Malac has expressed her country’s commitment to help strengthen Liberia’s healthcare system. Ambassador Malac explained that it is vital for Liberia health Sector to be stronger so that the country cannot experience any future outbreak of another disease, FOCUS reports.

Chief Karwor Pleads For Motorcyclists – Asks GoL To Formulate Regulations But allow Them To Ply The Streets

The Chairman of National Transitional Council, Chief Zazar Karwor says, motorcyclists have been very helpful in easing transportation difficulties and as such they should be allowed to ply the streets despite their misdeeds in recent times, INSIGHT reports.

GHANA’S FOREIGN MINISTER STRESSES BORDER VIGILANCE

Ghana’s Foreign Minister Madam Hanna Serwaa Teteeh, has stressed the need for Liberia to increase vigilance at her borders with neighboring countries to prevent a reemergence of the deadly Ebola virus. Minister Teteeh cautioned Liberia cannot be totally Ebola-freed unless neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone are equally free from the virus otherwise she said, Ebola could resurface here.  The Ghanaian Foreign Minister gave the caution on Monday May 11, 2015 at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion on Ashmum Street, Monrovia at program marking the declaration of Liberia as an Ebola-freed nation by the World Health Organization (WHO), The New Dawn.

US CONGRATULATES LIBERIA GOV’T

The Government and People of the United States of America, through their Ambassador to Liberia Deborah Malac, have congratulated the Liberian Government for its efforts in eradicating the deadly Ebola virus here. Speaking at the ceremony making Liberia Ebola free Monday at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion, Ambassador Malac praised the efforts of President Sirleaf saying during the 14 months occupation of the tropical disease here, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf worked assiduously to spread the message around the country to ensure compliance to prescribed anti-Ebola measures. She noted that the fight was not an easy task, but Liberia was successful in winning the fight. “More than 25,000 persons were affected with the virus in the three regional countries and most of them were Liberians,” she indicated. She said the government and people of the United States of America were ready and willing to work with Liberia to strengthen the health care sector. “We stood by Liberia during the Ebola outbreak and we are willing to stand by them anytime, they can count on America,” she noted. The New Dawn reports.

Related Caption: At ECOWAS Parliament: Nyenpa, Momoh Out – Senators Weah, Johnson In(FOCUS)

LINPAA Pledges Support To Health Workers’ Union

The Liberia National Physician Assistant association (LINPAA) has maintained that it will ever divorce herself from the activities of the National Health Workers Association (NAHWAL) as it relates to the advocacy for health workers well-being in the country. Speaking at a news conference in Monrovia over the weekend, the Board Chairman of LINPAA, Emmanuel C.Q. Reeves, clarified that at no time did the leadership of at o time did the leadership of LINPAA ever sit with Health Minister designate, Dr. Bernice Dahn, to discuss that LINPAA is not part of NAHWAL’s activities as is being portrayed by the Minister designate, In Profile Daily reports.

Togolese President Opts for Consorted Efforts In Post-Ebola Era

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe has said forming collaboration with Guinea and Sierra Leone as well as building a vibrant health sector is paramount to Liberia’s post-Ebola reconstruction effort. President Gnassingbe noted that it takes strong collaboration amongst authorities of the three most affected Ebola countries and the building of strong health infrastructures to totally eradicate the Ebola virus from the sub-region. “As long as Ebola is out kicked out of the sub-region, we are not out of the woods yet; it is now time that Liberia’s remain vigilant ad on the alert”, Gnassingbe added. He made the statement when he served as special guest at programs marking the commemoration of Liberia being declared and certificated as Ebola free by the World Health Organization in Monrovia on Monday,Heritage reports

AU Congratulates Liberia

As Liberians are buried in Ebola freedom celebrations, the African Union (AU) Monday congratulated Liberia on its victory against Ebola. In a message, the chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, congratulated President Sirleaf, the Government and  People of Liberia for overcoming the Ebola epidemic in their country, New Democrat pens.