THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2015

News ofPresident Johnson Sirleaf’s Executive Order No. 71 exempting the Liberia Electricity Corporation, the National Transit Authority and the Liberia Broadcasting System from the payment of customs duty on all fuel acquired in carrying out their respective mandates and the National Elections Commission constitution of a Steering Committee of the 2017 Presidential and Representative Elections are stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

The summary also highlights Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan’s commendation on the outgoing Egyptian Ambassador accredited near Monrovia for his pivotal role played in cementing the cordial ties between the Republic of Liberia and the Arab Republic of Egypt  and President Sirleaf’s Congratulatory message to  the Republic of Niger on the occasion of its 55th Independence Anniversary.

DOMINANT STORIES

Ellen Issues Executive Orders…Exempts Selected Entities

The Newsreports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has issued Executive Order No. 71 exempting the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), the National Transit Authority (NTA), and the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) from the payment of customs duty on all fuel acquired in carrying out their respective mandates. According to an Executive Mansion release, Executive Order No. 71, which takes effect immediately, is in the interest of national reconstruction and development. Executive Order No. 71 states that in the absence of hydro or alternative power, fuel is the key ingredient in the generation of electricity in Liberia by the Liberia Electricity Corporation. It also notes that the generation of electricity at a reasonable cost is essential to maintain an affordable balance in the cost of living. Government seeks also to minimize the cost of transportation provided by the National Transit Authority in serving the general public; while the need exists to ensure the dissemination of information to the general public through the state-owned Liberia Broadcasting System.

Related Captions: LEC, LBS, NTA, LWSC Get Duty Free Fuel(Daily Observer), Ellen Excludes LWSC, LEC, LBS From Custom Duties(INSIGHT), Executive Order Grants Selected Entities Duty Free On Fuel(Heritage), LEC, LBS, NTA, Get Duty Free Custom Clearance(New Democrat),LEC, NTA AND LBS Exempted From Custom Duty Payments(The New Dawn)

NEC Establishes 2017 Election Committee

According to the New Dawnnewspaper, the Chairman of the National Elections Commission (NEC) has constituted the Steering Committee of the 2017 Presidential and Representative Elections. The 2017 Elections Steering Committee is chaired by Commissioner Samuel Joe and Co-Chaired by Policy Advisor John K. Langlay. All Commissioners of the NEC are ex-officio to the Committee. The Committee is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that an appropriate legal framework is developed to guide the 2017 electoral process and guarantee protection for the Commission and all stakeholders in the electoral process in Liberia. The Committee is also required to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Commission’s facilities, voting precincts and polling places as well as take stock of the state of all NEC’s warehouses and equipment across the country. The Committee is further expected to develop the timeline and Key Dates for the 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections and formulate a defined and well-coordinated plan for the recruitment of temporary elections workers. 

Related Captions: NEC Sets Up 2017 Elections Steering Committee(Daily Observer), NEC Sets Up Committee For 2017 Elections(The News), NEC Prepares For 2017 Elections-Names Samuel Joe As Chair Of Steering Committee(INSIGHT), NEC Gears Up For 2017…Constitutes Elections Steering Committee(Heritage), NEC Appoints 2017 Team(New Democrat)

OTHER STORIES

Foreign Minister Ngafuan Hails Outgoing Egyptian Envoy

Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has showered praises on the outgoing Egyptian Ambassador accredited near Monrovia for his pivotal role played in cementing the cordial ties between Republic of Liberia and the Arab Republic of Egypt.  Foreign Minister Ngafuan stated that Ambassador Sameh Lotfi has distinguished himself as a dynamic diplomat, who never ceases to identify new opportunities for strengthening the bilateral relations between Liberia and Egypt. According to a Foreign Ministry release, Minister Ngafuan said the Egyptian envoy executed his duties with commitment, excellence and diligence. He added, “We are grateful for the true spirit of representation, which he has demonstrated on behalf of his great nation and people”. The Foreign Ministry release says the Foreign Minister spoke at the occasion marking the official celebration of the 63rd Anniversary of the July 23rd Revolution of the Arab Republic of Egypt and at a farewell dinner in honor  of Ambassador Lofti, whose tour duty has ended. The Dean of the Liberian Cabinet said Ambassador Lotfi’s tenure ends at a time when Liberia is just beginning to recover from the impact of the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD), which claimed the lives of many Liberians and caused social and economic disruption. “We would have loved him to stay a little longer to help us with this recovery from a virus, which he and his country helped us defeat. But the reality of his profession as I have seen is that diplomats are always on the move at the call of duty”.  He further said that at the height of the onslaught of the Ebola virus disease in Liberia, the outgoing Ambassador worked tooth and nail to mobilize assistance from the Egyptian Government, in solidarity with the people of Liberia to fight the disease. “Mr. Ambassador, during your tenure, the Arab Republic of Egypt provided assistance in the form of medical supplies and equipment and doctors at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) referral hospital to assist the Government of Liberia in its combat against Ebola and other challenges of the health sector,” the Minister indicated with deep appreciation.  The Liberia Foreign Minister further observed that the relations between Egypt and Liberia have been cordial and mutually respectful and beneficial with Egypt providing technical assistant to Liberia including short-term training program and long-term bilateral scholarship based on Technical Cooperation Agreement between the Egypt Fund for Technical Cooperation with Africa and the Government of Liberia which continues to greatly impart the human resource development of the country.  “We are happy that you turned a milestone in the history of your great country and your place in history is well deserved. I want to take this time to congratulate you on this joyous and auspicious occasion. I am particularly impressed by the remarkable progress that your country has made since the transition from the events at the Tahrir Square to democratic elections, which finally saw the ascendancy of President Al-Sisi to power”.  Foreign Minister Ngafuan stated that the July 23rd Revolution played a significant role in the political and economic development of Egypt. He also noted that the decision to institute a republican government launched Egypt into a new era of Nationalism, industrialization, unprecedented infrastructure development and Agrarian reform at which time Egypt has begun to show early signs of the pivotal role it would play in the non-aligned movement of which Liberia is also a founding member.  For his part, Ambassador Lotfi paid a special tribute to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and officials of her government for the cooperation and support accorded him during his three years of diplomatic assignment in Liberia. He stated that those three years have produced a stable development and cordial bilateral relations between Liberia and Egypt.  While acknowledging the solidity of the relations and the existing corporation between Liberia and Egypt, the Egyptian envoy stated that during his tenure as Ambassador accredited near Monrovia, Liberia- Egypt relations was marked by mutual bilateral cooperation with rewarding benefits for the two countries.  According to him his tour of duty in Liberia witnessed the visit of high level Egyptian officials including the General Director of the Egyptian Social Fund for Development and the Special Envoy of President Al-Sisi to Liberia and reciprocal visits of Liberian official to Egypt for training and working of join committee to be discussed in the near future. While reflecting on the deadly EVD outbreak, which ravaged Liberia, the Egyptian diplomat stated that his country’s refusal to shut down its doors was meant to stand by their African counterparts so as to share the country’s struggle to defeat the Ebola epidemic.  The Egyptian Ambassador also said the celebration of the 63^rd Anniversary of the July 1952 Revolution marked a significant milestone in his country’s history, as the occasion corresponds with the inauguration of new projects such as the Suez Canal, which is now ready for navigation and will formally be opened on August 6. Moreover, he further asserted that the newly constructed two way route promises to nearly triple revenue from the Suez Canal to over 3 billion per year by 2023. The Egyptian envoy said the new canal will minimize the waiting time for vessels to three hours at most, instead of 8-11 hours and will support the Suez Canal Area Development Project that will turn Egypt into an international logistic center, reports the Heritage newspaper.

Related Caption: Foreign Minister Ngafuan Hails Outgoing Egyptian Ambassador To Liberia(The New Republic)

President Sirleaf Congratulates Niger On 55th Independence Anniversary

The Daily Observerquotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations and best wishes to the Government and People of the Republic of Niger on the occasion commemorating the 55th Independence Anniversary of that Republic, on today August 3rd.  In her message to His Excellency Mr. Mahamadou Issoufou, President of the Republic of Niger, President Johnson Sirleaf on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia, and in her own name, extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes, and noted that as the people of Niger commemorate this joyous occasion, it is her hope that the cordial  ties of friendship and cooperation that have so long subsisted between the two countries and peoples will be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of the two peoples. President Sirleaf also hoped that both countries will continue to work together in furtherance of the principles of the African Union and the United Nations for the promotion of international peace, security and economic cooperation amongst all nations. The Liberian leader then prayed that the Almighty Allah will endow President Issoufou with abundant wisdom and strength as he leads his people to sustainable peace and greater prosperity.

Related Caption: Ellen Congratulates Niger On 55th Independence Anniversary(Heritage)

Barway Collins’ Father To Get 40 Years In Jail, Pleads Guilty to Killing Son in U.S. For US$70,000 Insurance Money;

A Liberian father, whose ten-year-old son’s lifeless body was found in the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, the  United States, has pleaded guilty to intentionally murdering his son for U$70, 000 insurance money, according to a report in Minneapolis (MN) based KAREll.com. Pierre Collins who has since been accused in the death of his 10-year-old son, Barway Collins, and subsequently indicted by a grand jury on charges of first degree murder, entered a guilty plea Monday to second-degree intentional murder. As part of his plea, he has already agreed to 40 years in prison, KARE ll.com reported. The body of Barway Collins was found from the Mississippi River on April 11; his feet were bound with duct tape, and there was also tape found on his body. This was after he had gone missing for over three weeks, according to the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Father Pleads Guilty…In 10-Yr-Old Son’s Death(The News)

“Represent A Good Image for Liberia While In The US” – US Ambassador Malac Challenges 8 Young Liberian Students

US Ambassador to Liberia, Deborah R. Malac, has challenged the beneficiaries of the Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) students to make practical use of the program to pick up ‘life-changing’ experiences that could go a long way in making them better people in the society while studying in the United States of America. The Eight young |Liberian high school students are from Gbapolu and Lofa counties. They are due to leave the country early next week for the U.S. for a period of one academic year. They include: Abraham Massalay of the Pamelakay Jr/Sr. High School; Levi Jackson from the Zorzor Central High School; Hawa Domah of the Gbamah Public School in Gbapolu; Korvah Fromayan of the Lutheran Training Institute in Lofa; Musa Kabah of the St. Joseph Catholic School in Lofa; Kris Garjay from the Bopolu Central High School; Garmai Gayflor of the Zorzor Central High; and Emmanuel Godfrey of the Bopolu Central High School, Daily Observer reports

Stakeholders Brainstorm On Ebola Vaccine

The Crusaders for Peace in collaboration with the Partnership for Research on Ebola Vaccine in Liberia (PREVIAL) has concluded a day’s high-level stakeholders, community engagement and social mobilization forum on the Ebola vaccine test ongoing in Liberia. The forum is aimed at bringing traditional leaders, tribal governors and community leaders to support the encouragement of Ebola survivors’ enrollment in the Ebola Natural History study. Speaking Monday in Monrovia at the forum, the Assistant Director for Operations at PREVIAL, Julia Lysander, said the successful implementation of the Ebola vaccine in Liberia depends on the inputs of all especially traditional leaders who are the direct representatives of community residents, the News writes.

CEO Renovates Gov’t School In Robertsport

The Daily Observernewspaper says the administration of Grand Cape Mount County Chief Education Officer (CEO) has embarked on the renovation of the government Demonstration Elementary School in Robertsport, the county’s political capital. Dwight Harvey said funding for the project was provided by the Incident Management system (IMS) at the Ministry of Health in Monrovia.  He however did not disclose the amount involved in the project. CEO Harvey made the disclosure over the weekend to Liberia News Agency (LINA) Robertsport Correspondent, D. Ignatius Roberts, in Robertsport during a tour of the project site. Meanwhile, the Principal of the St. John Episcopal High School in Robertsport, John Moiwoh, says any student who fails to meet academic requirements for 2015-2016 will not be promoted, but be demoted.

World Bank Promises Support To LICPA

The World Bank Liberia Country Manager, Inguna Dobraja, has assured the Government of Liberia and Liberia Institute of Certified Public Accountants (LICPA) that it remains fully committed to working towards the development of the accountancy profession and practice in Liberia. She said the World Bank considers relaxing restrictions on the local market for greater participation by international firms. Debraja believes that this will support knowledge transfer ad help develop the members of the profession to meet international competition in the country and beyond, the Newsnewspaper asserts.

Gov’t, UNICEF To Register Over 70,000 Newborns

The government of Liberia and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) are in the process of registering some 60,000 children, who were unable to go through the necessary clinical formalities as a result of the outbreak and the overwhelming impacts of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country last year. The registration exercises, however, predate the Ebola crisis and began documenting kids, who were not born into health facilities and had no records of nativity. The Ministry of Health (MOH) had earlier estimated that close to 70,000 children born in 2014 and 2015, during the Ebola outbreak have not had their births registered.  “Not registering these kids will leave them vulnerable to marginalization and exclusion”, UNICEF Country Representative, Seldon Yett, said through a statement, Daily Observer reports.