THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015

News of the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagardee assurance of her organization’s continual support for Liberia to stabilize and improve its economy, President Johnson Sirleaf’s mandate to the General Auditing Commission for the audit of programs in Ministries and Agencies with self-disbursing activities, the Cabinet endorsement of the Liberia - US Trade and Investment Forum aimed at enhancing Liberia’s position in the global economy and President Johnson Sirleaf’s acceptance of the resignation of Grand Bassa County Superintendent, Madam Etweda Cooper are stories dominating our summary of today’s local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia Gets Renewed Assurance From IMF Managing Director

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagardee has assured President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf that the IMF will continue to support Liberia stabilize and improve its economy. “We were there at that time and we will continue to be by your side in your effort to not only stabilize but develop the economy,” she promised. According to an Executive Mansion release, the IMF Managing Director gave the assurance when she jointly addressed a press stakeout with President Sirleaf in the Foyer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following a meeting with government’s Economic Management Team on Thursday, September 10, 2015. Ms. Lagarde, at the head of a high-level IMF delegation, is in the country on a two-day visit. Ms. Lagarde stressed that her visit to Liberia was to specifically deliver three messages. She first extended warm hearted congratulations to the Liberian President and the country, under whose leadership they successfully fought and defeated the Ebola virus disease. “Together with the support of the international community, we managed to defeat, I hope for good, this terrible disease,” she said, praising the efforts of the communities and the Liberian people for the splendid job. She urged the Liberian leader to continue to ensure that the disease is eradicated for good, FrontPage Africa newspaper reports.

Related Captions: IMF Commits To Liberia’s Post-Ebola Recovery(The Analyst), IMF Chief On Liberia Post Ebola Challenges(The News), IMF Stresses Financial Discipline(The Inquirer), IMF To Help Rescue Liberia’s Economy(FOCUS), IMF Commits To Liberia’s Post-Ebola Recovery(Heritage), IMF Demands Financial Discipline(The New Dawn), IMF Chief Urges Gov’t To Stay Course-Lauds Liberians for Defeating Ebola(Daily Observer), IMF Commits Itself(The New Republic), IMF Commits To Liberia’s Post-Ebola Recovery(In Profile Daily), IMF Boss Challenges Liberia To Remain Ebola Free…Assures More Development Support(INSIGHT)

Ellen Directs the GAC to Conduct Audits of Other Ministries & Agencies

The Heritage newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has mandated the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to undertake urgent audits of programs in official entities (Ministries and Agencies) that have self-disbursing activities. These include as a first start, the Executive Mansion renovation at the Ministry of State, the Post Office at the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, the Industrial Free Zone at the National Investment Commission, the Foreign Service Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Disaster Management Fund at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Peace Building Fund at the Ministry of Justice. According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian Chief Executive urged the Auditor General to consider the use of private auditing firms which could undertake those reports under her direct supervision. President Sirleaf argued that this would facilitate early completion of the reports which is extremely important to government. She said though it may require financing not accommodated by the GAC budget, financing must be identified as this is necessary to protect the credibility and credit worthiness of the country.

Related Captions: Ellen Calls For Mass Audit (FOCUS), Ministers, Agencies Face Audits(The New Dawn), Ellen Calls For Audit(In Profile Daily), Ellen Rolls Up Sleeves Against Corruption…As She Calls For Audit Of Several Ministries, Others(INSIGHT)

Cabinet Endorses Liberia-US Trade And Investment Forum-Receives Updates On Ministries, Agencies And Commissions Compact Signing Ceremony

The Cabinet has unanimously endorsed the Liberia - US Trade and Investment Forum aimed at enhancing Liberia’s position in the global economy.  According to an Executive Mansion release, on Wednesday, September 9, 2015, the Cabinet gave its approval to a Liberia-driven Investment Trade Forum scheduled for September 16, 2015 in the United States of America. The Forum aims at buttressing government’s Economic Stabilization & Recovery Plan by attracting industrial investors in agriculture, agro-processing and other sectors. It will also woo investors’ interest in rubber manufacturing, cocoa, fisheries, aquaculture, infrastructure, energy, gold, diamonds, rice and cassava. The Investment Forum comes on the heels of a 2014 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the National Investment Commission (NIC) and Developing Markets Associates (DMA). The Forum will bring together some 200 companies from around the world including 30 U.S-owned, the World Bank, UNDP and a host of international development partners.  Vice President Joseph N. Boakai will represent President Sirleaf at the Investment Forum.  On the question of Fiscal Year 2015/2016 Budget Execution Plan, Cabinet endorsed the plan, which largely reflected that the government’s fiscal position is in good shape,the Analyst newspaper asserts.

Related Captions:  Cabinet Endorses Liberia-US Trade And Investment Forum(FrontPage Africa), Cabinet Endorses Liberia-US Trade And Investment Forum(FOCUS), Cabinet Endorses Liberia-US Trade And Investment Forum(Heritage).

Ellen Accepts G. Bassa Supt. Cooper’s Resignation

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has accepted the resignation of the Superintendent of Grand Bassa County, Madam Etweda Cooper. Madam Cooper tendered her resignation to the President on September 3, expressing the hope that her resignation will foster the spirit of unity among the residents of the county, and thereby, promote development which they all desire. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf thanked Madam Cooper for the services she rendered the people of the county under difficult circumstances as well as her commitment to continue to serve Liberia, reports the Daily Observer.

 Related Captions: Ellen Accepts Resignation Of Bassa Supt.(The News), Pres. Sirleaf Accepts Resignation Of Grand Bassa County Supt Etweda Cooper(FOCUS), Ellen Accepts Resignation Of Grand Bassa Superintendent(Heritage), President Accepts Resignation Of Grand Bassa Superintendent(FrontPage Africa), Grand Bassa Supt. Resigns(The New Dawn)

OTHER STORIES

Ellen, Boakai Receive Post-Ebola Honor

Roughly a week after the World Health Organization declared Liberia Ebola-freed for the second time this year, the Women of Liberia have honored President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Vice President Joseph N. Boakai for their strong leadership role in combating the disease. The Liberian Chief Executive and her Deputy, Mr. Boakai were presented heroic awards by the women at the Paynesville City Hall on the outskirt of Monrovia during a ceremony organized along with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. A brief video documentary of the Ebola crisis, showing President Sirleaf and Vice President Boakai’s involvement in the fight from one place to another, including their interactions with partners and foreign leaders were played during the ceremony on Thursday, September 10. In response to the honor, President Sirleaf said heroes [in the Ebola fight] were many, and that she and Vice President Boakai were just a little part of the heroing that Liberia experienced the New Dawn newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Women Honor Ellen & Joe For Fighting Ebola(The Inquirer)

Chinese Medical Team To Train JFK Staff

The government has reached a consensus with the Chinese Medical Team (CMT) working with the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Medical Center in Monrovia to train staff in various medical areas, Dr. Billy C. Johnson, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has said. He named those specific areas as surgery, gynecology, ophthalmology, ultrasound specialist, internal medicine, acupuncture and nursing. Dr. Billy expressed gratitude to the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for the level of assistance to the JFK development agenda, especially in the area of medical and surgical discipline. He recalled that since the signing of the first agreement between the JFK Administration and the Chinese Government on September 1, 2006, JFK has received six Chinese medical teams. The agreement, Dr. Johnson said, led the Chinese to erect a 2-storey building at the center, along with a consignment of diagnostic and treatment equipment for malaria and some consumable goods worth millions of dollars for the China-Liberia Malaria Treatment and Prevention Centre. Other important donations by the Chinese include operating theatres and ultrasound equipment. Meanwhile, an eye doctor at the hospital, Edward B. Guizie, has praised Doctor Wang Jim for his services in the eye department, sharing his knowledge and experience in small incisions and cataract surgery, Daily Observer reports.

African Countries Agree On Post-Development Issues

Member States of the post-2015 Development Agenda are expected to take to the national level key development issues during the UN Summit in New York between September 25-27, 2015. The Grants Manager of the African Union High Level Committee on Post-2015 Development Agenda, Blamo Nimle, said member states agreed to domesticate the Agenda which includes its dissemination to all stakeholders, such as the National Legislature and civil society, among others. Speaking Tuesday at the Ministry of Information press conference, Nimle said members will set national targets guided by the global level of ambition, but taking into account national circumstances, the Informer newspaper says.

US Team Investigates Ebola Effect

Following the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa that took the lives of more than 11, 200 people in the region, the National Eye Institute, (located in Bethesda, Maryland, (USA) part of the National Institutes of Health, has deployed a team of clinicians and technical experts to Monrovia, Liberia to investigate the long-term effects of Ebola on the eye. NEI’s investigation is part of a larger study called PREVAIL III (Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia) aimed at understanding the long-term health implications of Ebola virus disease (EVD) among people who survived acute infection with the virus. The NEI team plans to travel back to Liberia for pe4riodic visits over the course of the study, and is assisted by a permanent local eye care team they trained to conduct vision screening and other tests, the New Democrat reports.