THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2016

Today’s summary of the local dailies includes news of theEuropean Union US$1 billion commitment for infrastructural development for ECOWAS, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plan visit to Liberia and  Vice President Joseph N. Boakai’s commendation to the Samaritan Purse International for its role in the rebuilding of Liberia among others.

EU Commits US$1 Billion To ECOWAS Infrastructure Development

The Daily Observer writes that following the election of Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union has made an initial commitment of US$1 billion for infrastructural development, especially for roads and energy, during her tenure. According to the daily, Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe said the European Union’s commitment was further confirmed at a meeting President Sirleaf held in Brussells, Belgium, with an EU team that is responsible for ECOWAS and African Affairs, before her return to the country on Friday.

Israeli Prime Minister To Visit Liberia

The New DEMOCRAT reports that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has disclosed plans to visit Liberia to promote closer bilateral ties. Though he did not state the time of his visit, the Israeli Prime Minister said following his upcoming visit to East Africa, West Africa will be next on his itinerary. PM Netanyahu made the disclosure during a meeting with President Johnson Sirleaf in Tel Aviv, Israel.

V Boakai Hails Samaritan Purse

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has hailed the Samaritan Purse International for its role in the rebuilding of Liberia and referred to the hospital under construction by the Samaritan Purse as the kind of investment and commitment that mean a lot to the people of Liberia. According to the New DEMOCRAT newspaper, VP Boakai made the comments Monday during a courtesy visit by a three man Samaritan Purse delegation to his office.

Related Caption: Boakai Hails Samaritan Purse(The NEWS)

UN Envoy Says Free And Fair Elections Guarantors Of Sustainable Peace

The Chair of the United Nations Peace Building Commission (PBC) says reconciliation, rule of law, youth empowerment and a free and fair elections in 2017 are significant to sustaining Liberia’s peace and security. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, Ambassador Macharia Kamau and team begun a visit to West Africa on June 9 and will conclude their regional visit on the 17th after visiting Sierra Leone and Guinea. The UN’s PBC delegation describes their mission to Liberia as successful and said their visit focuses on exploring the sub-regional peace building priorities and opportunities on the road to recovery after the Ebola outbreak amongst other critical issues in the three West African countries.

EPA To Attract US$50M

The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) has announced the completion of a draft concept note of the Monrovia Metropolitan Climate Resilient Project proposal that would attract US$50 million for Liberia. The disclosure was made Monday in Monrovia by EPA Executive Director, Anyaa Bohiri at a news conference. Madam Vahiri told reporters that when completed and submitted to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Liberia could benefit to address several critical areas in the country’s developmental agenda, reports the NEWS newspaper.

LEDI Disburses Over Us 170,000 -- To Struggling Students

According to the NEWSnewspaper, the Liberia Economic Development Initiative (LEDI) has concluded the disbursement of over L$170,000 scholarship fund to forty needy Liberian students in Monrovia. The forty recipients of this semester’s scholarship fund come from private and public schools, including the University of Liberia. Delivering the funds to individual students during the week, LEDI’s Country Director Sherman C. Seequeh reiterated the organization’s commitment to alleviating poverty by building human resource capacity of Liberians, particularly ensuring that young people from poor background remain in school.

MOH Holds 3-Day Retreat In Ganta

A three-day retreat on the national public health institute of Liberia has opened in Ganta, Nimba County. The retreat is being conducted by authorities of the Ministry of Health, bringing together about 20 members of the House of Representatives of the 53rd Liberian Legislature. Deputy Minister of Health Tolbert Nyenswah, said the retreat is intended to discuss current state of a proposed national public health institute. Minister Nyenswah said the strategic and operational objectives of the proposed national public health institute includes among others, to develop a sustainable public health workforce, surveillance and response capabilities as well as strengthen laboratory system and public health diagnostics, and expand coordinated public health and medical research to inform the public on Liberia’s health policies. The Chair of the Liberian Senate Standing Committee on Health, Senator Dr. Peter Coleman, said the retreat will enable lawmakers to have a clear understanding in order to present the draft Act for the proposed national public health institute of Liberia to the joint committees on judiciary for review and input, according to the New Dawn newspaper.

S/Court Returns Snow’s Complaint

The New Dawn newspaper reports that Montserrado County Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe through his legal counsel Cllr. Arthur T. Johnson filed a petition before the Supreme Court asking the court to order Speaker Tyler and others from pursuing the one-month quorum without roll call motion and conduct roll call in line with Article 33 of the Constitution to accord him his rights. But the legal counsel for the House of Representatives, Bomi County Lawmaker Cllr. Gayah Karmo countered that Rep. Snowe had already written the Plenary on the same issue that he took to the Supreme Court for redress. He said the House is in no position to violate the constitution on grounds that it is law-abiding. Rep. Karmo argued that Rep. Snowe was like complaining the legislature and the plenary at the Civil Law Court and the Supreme Court.

Related Captions: Supreme Court Orders House to Address Snowe’s Roll Call Request(FrontPage Africa), Legislature Mandated To Address Snowe’s Protest In 73 Hrs(Daily Observer)

Supreme Court Stops Destruction of Electoral Papers From Disputed Lofa County Districts

The Supreme Court of Liberia has instructed the National Elections Commission (NEC) to refrain from burning all ballot boxes in District #1 and 4, Lofa County senatorial election of December 2014. The FrontPage Africa newspaper says the decision by the high court follows a bill of information filed by one of the senatorial candidates during the December 2014 Special Senatorial Election. According to the bill of information to Court Marshall Brig. General Amos B. Kesseh dated Friday, June 10, 2016, the high court said objections in the senatorial election of the said districts are still a subject matter for decision pending before the court.
 

EPO, MoA Leading Rehabilitation Project for Palm Farmers

Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) and the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Agriculture are collaborating and leading efforts to help with the rehabilitation of oil palm smallholder farms in District #4, Grand Bassa County. The rehabilitation program which is being funded by the World Bank, is a pilot study undertaken to revitalize the smallholder oil palm farmers and provide necessary information required for the future replanting of these identified farms to promote an Out Growers Program under the Smallholder Tree Crops Revitalization Support Project (STCRSP) reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

CBL Governor Wants Liberian Owned Businesses Empowered Visits COLINBO Head Office

The Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Milton A. Weeks, yesterday has assured members of the grassroots business organization of the Bank’s commitment to the development of Liberian owned businesses. The Daily Observer reports that Governor Weeks gave the assurance when he visited the headquarters of the Concerned Liberian International Business Organization (COLINBO).  He said his visit to COLINBO’s head office on Water Street on Monday is an acquaintance visit intended to build a stronger relationship with its leadership and members. COLINBO is a grassroots business organization with 100 percent Liberian membership having chapters across the country.