THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016

News of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Proclamation declaring 16 Days of Activism, the signing of a US$40 million grant agreement by the Government of Liberia and the World Bank to strengthen the government’s recovery and a planned signing ceremony of a US$6.5 million dollars agreement to support access to justice are among stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

President Sirleaf Declares 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence To Be Observed As Working Holidays 

A front-page story of the FOCUS newspaper reads that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by Proclamation declared Friday, November 25, 2016, through December 10, 2016, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence to be observed throughout the country as Working Holidays. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence is a Global Champaign dedicated to end Gender-based Violence and highlight other significant dates such as: November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women; November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day; December 1, World AIDS Day; December 3, International Day of Disabled Persons; December 6, Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre and December 10, International Human Rights day, the paper says.

Related Captions: Proclamation Out For 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender Violence(Heritage),16 Day Of Activism Launched By Gender Ministry( Daily Observer), 16 Days Of Activism Starts(FrontPage Africa), Pres. Sirleaf Declares 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender Violence(The New Dawn), Gender Begins 16 Day of Activism Today(The INQUIRER)  

World Bank Provides US$40M Grant For Liberia 

According to the New Dawnnewspaper, the World Bank has signed a US$40 million grant with the Government of Liberia to strengthen the government’s recovery plans after serious economic shocks as a result of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in 2015. The World Bank says the grant approved will be used by the Government of Liberia to build and strengthen its developmental capacity after the devastating outcome of the Ebola virus. Addressing reporters Tuesday, 22 November in a news conference at the bank’s offices in Congo Town, World Bank Liberia Country Manager Madam Larisa Leshchenko said the Bank has been working with the Government of Liberia to address constraints resulting from the challenges of the Ebola crisis, and the sharp drop in major commodity prices. She said the Minister of Finance and Development Planning Boimah Kamara and herself signed the US$40 million grant to enable the operation become effective, saying “This operation will strengthen governance, with particular emphasis on transparency, and accountability, as well as budget execution and oversight; It will address key constraints constrain to growth, including electricity, and improve human capital development, particularly through improved access to education and health.”

Related Captions: World Bank Signs US$4.2M Grant With Liberia(Heritage), World Bank US$40M For Governance Reform(Daily Observer), World Bank, Gov’t Sign US4.2M Grant Agreement for Regional Fisheries Program(The INQUIRER)  

GoL, Sweden, UNDP Sign US$6.5M Agreement To Support Access To Justice 

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the UN Mission in Liberia will on Friday November 25, 2016, sign a US$6.5 million dollars contribution agreement with the Government of Sweden. The contribution from the Swedish Government is in support of a three year Joint UNDP, UNDP/UNMIL Rule of law and Access to Justice Program titled “Strengthening the Rule of Law in Liberia”: Justice and Security for the People, the Heritage newspaper says.

Related Captions: GoL, Partners Sign USD$6.5M Agreement to Support Access to Justice(FOCUS), GoL, Sweden, UNDP Sign US$6.5m Agreement To Support Access To Justice(FrontPage Africa), GoL. Sweden, UNDP Sign US$6.5M Agreement To Support Access To Justice(The INQUIRER), GoL. Sweden, UNDP Sign US$6.5M Agreement To Support Access To Justice(In Profile Daily)  

Ellen Presides Over National AIDS Commission Board Of Directors’ Meeting 

President Sirleaf has presided over the Board of Directors' Meeting of the National AIDS Commission in an effort to examine performance in the coordination, planning, implementation and monitoring of the national response to HIV and AIDS and advance discussions to reduce the spread of HIV and AIDs. The Board meeting took place in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, November 22, 2016. Quoting an Executive Mansion release, the Heritage newspaper reports that the Liberian leader said HIV and AIDs continue to remain a serious issue in Liberia and must be dealt with at all levels. She encouraged Board members to remain positively engaged with partners and other stakeholders with the hope that Liberia can redouble her efforts that the 90-90 cannot be an issue in 2050. 

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Presides Over National AIDS Commission Board of Directors’ Meeting(FOCUS), Pres. Sirleaf Presides Over AIDS Comm. Meeting(In Profile Daily), Liberia’s HIV Prevalence Rate At 2.7%(The New Dawn)

OTHER STORIES  

President Sirleaf Calls For Investment In Cocoa, Coffee Sector 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says although the Liberian economy has depended on iron ore and rubber however, amid the drop in the prices of theses commodities, she is calling for investment that will diversify agriculture mainly in the areas of cocoa, coffee and oil palm sectors to replace the two traditional engines of the Liberian economy. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the call on Tuesday, November 22, 2016, when she delivered the Keynote Address at the opening of a One-Day Liberia-United Kingdom Trade and Investment Forum, held in the Ball Room of the Monrovia City Hall in Monrovia, the FOCUS newspaper asserts.

Related Caption: Call For Investment-President Sirleaf Calls For Investment In Cocoa, Coffee Sector (FrontPage Africa)  

VP Boakai, Israeli Ambassador Discuss Investment 

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has stressed the importance of establishing small scale processing facilities for local fishermen that could serve as source of income for local fishing communities along the coast of Liberia. Vice President Boakai said the Government of Liberia is willing to work with partners and institutions that have the capacity to invest in the processing of fish something he said could contribute to the economy of the country. He was speaking Tuesday on Capitol Hill when the Israeli Ambassador to Liberia with residence in Accra, Ghana, His Excellency Ami Mehl paid a courtesy call on him. Vice President Boakai welcomed the Israeli Ambassador to his Office and praised Ambassador Mehl for achieving so much in a relative short period of time, the In Profile Daily reads.

Related Caption: VP Boakai, Israeli Envoy Discuss Key Investment Areas (Heritage)

KLM To Resume Flight to Liberia

KLM, one of the world’s leading airlines, is to resume flight to Liberia soon, Liberia Aviation Officials disclosed. Mr. Wil Bako Freeman, Managing Director of the Liberia Aviation Authority (LAA) disclosed that KLM has agreed to resume its regular business activities in Liberia following years of war and the recent health crisis that devastated every sector of the Liberian society. KLM was one of the leading airlines in Liberia but left the country due to the civil unrest in the country. Freemen said the coming of KLM will be a major boost to the nation’s economy and a promotion to the Roberts International Airport, the INQUIRER newspaper reads.

President Sirleaf Sends Condolence Message To The Government And People Of India

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a condolence message to her counterpart, the President of the Republic of India, His Excellency Mr. Pranab Mukherjee on the unfortunate derailment of a passenger train in northern India a few days ago. On Sunday, November 20, 2016, an unfortunate derailment of a passenger train occurred in Pukhrayan, Uttar Pradash State, Northern India leaving more than 133 persons dead and 200 injured. According to a Foreign Ministry release, in the message to His Excellency Mr. Mukshejee, President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia, and in her own name, extended to him, and through him to the Government and People of India, especially the bereaved families, heartfelt condolences for the irreparable loss sustained, and wished for the injured a speedy recovery, the Focus says.  

VP Boakai Cautions Relevant Stakeholders to Contribute to FSDIP 

The Vice President of Liberia, Ambassador Joseph Boakai, has cautioned development partners, the various government ministries and agencies, as well as private sector institutions to unreservedly contribute meaningfully to the Liberia Financial Sector Development Implementation Plan (FSDIP) recently launched by the Central Bank of Liberia. Speaking as the Chief Launcher of the initiative, Vice President Boakai maintained that there are number of policy actions that need to be addressed which he said 63 policy actions have been identified by the FSDIP, the FOCUS says.

Carter Center, EU Launch Freedom of Info Program

The Carter Center, with financial support from the European Union and other donors, has launched a certificate program to build the capacity of 90 government officials to implement the 2010 Freedom of Information Act. In the first training session, held in Monrovia November 15-16, participants represented more than eight government entities, including the Ministry of Justice the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, the Liberia National Police, and the Ministries of Education, Gender, Information, and Internal Affairs. The Carter Center has developed an implementation assessment tool, which helps government agencies assess how well they comply with freedom of information laws. Early this year, it used this tool with a number of Liberian agencies. The results showed that while some progress on implementation had been made, there remains a need for additional technical capacity, the INQUIRER newspaper reads.

Related Caption: Carter Center, EU Begin Training On FOI Act(Daily Observer)

Pres. Sirleaf Approves New LEC Transitional Management Team

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has approved the appointment of a new Transitional Management Team for the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) based on the recommendation of the Board of Directors of the LEC. According to an Executive Mansion release those recommended by the Board and approved by the President are: Mr. Foday Soko Sackor, Managing Director, Mr. Ernest R. Hughes, Deputy Managing Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Thomas Z. Gonkerwon, Deputy Managing Director, Commercial and Operations and Mr. Director, Projects, Planning and Rural Electrification. The transitional team will, with immediate effect, commence work with the current Management Services Contractor to ensure a full transition of the Management of the LEC from MHI to the Transitional Team by January 1, 2017, the INQUIRER newspaper says.

Related Caption: President Sirleaf Approves new LEC Transitional Management Team(FOCUS)

UN Women, Sweden Embassy Sign Standard Agreements For Support To SGBV

The United Nations Agency for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia will this Wednesday sign two agreements for support to the UN and Government of Liberia Joint Program on Sexual and Gender-based Violence as well as the UN Women Liberia 2016-2018 Strategic Note. Under the agreement for the UN Joint Program on SGBV, Sweden will provide the amount of USD$30 Million SEK to support efforts to comprehensively address the escalating cases of sexual and gender based violence and the prevalence of harmful traditional practices, which continue to hamper Liberia’s socio-economic development, the INQUIRER news daily reads.

Related Caption: UN Women, Sweden Embassy Sign Agreements To Support SGBV(FOCUS)

Pres. Sirleaf Pushes Economic Diversification Policy

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has underscored agriculture, energy, mining, health, infrastructure, among others, as priority areas for foreign investment in the country. Other areas she named include tourism, manufacturing, and information and communication technology. According to the Daily Observer, President Sirleaf made these remarks Tuesday at a one day Liberia-UK Trade and Investment Forum organized by the National Investment Commission (NIC) in collaboration with the British Embassy and Developing Markets Associates. She said with Liberia recovering from the twin shocks of the health crisis and the sharp decline in the world commodity prices, which led to some business closures, it is urgent for the government to reengage international investors and partners.  She used the occasion to specifically appreciate the role of the British Embassy, Developing Markets Associates (DMA), the NIC and other institutions.

Liberian Women Deliberate 2017 Manifesto

What are the most important issues facing Liberian women and their families today? A group of civil society and political party women is currently asking organizations and the public this question and using their feedback to inform the development of the 2017 Liberian Women’s Manifesto (LWM). The LWM 2017 will be a roadmap outlining women’s policy priorities and used to frame the political debate in the lead up to the 2017 election. In 2005, women came together and developed the Liberian Women’s Manifesto, a document identifying and making policy recommendations on issues important to women and their families in Liberia, the In Profile Daily reports.