THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016

News of representatives of the United Nations Country Team holding a partnership dialogue with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Sirleaf’s visit to the families of two kids killed in a fatal motorcade accident last Wednesday, 30 November and ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Dr. Fatimata Dia Sow planned one-day humanitarian visit to Liberia are among stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Foreign Ministry, UN Country Team & UNMIL Hold Partnership Dialogue 

As Liberia begins the domestication of the global agenda 2030, the African Agenda 2063 and the formulation of the Second Agenda for Transformation (AfT-II), representatives of the United Nations country team, including the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), has held a partnership dialogue with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The dialogue, initiated by Foreign Minister Marjon Kamara, was intended to help government understand and facilitate the work of these UN agencies in Liberia including overcoming the challenges they encounter, the Heritage newspaper writes.

Related Captions: Foreign Ministry, UN Country Team & UNMIL Hold Partnership Dialogue(Daily Observer), Foreign Ministry, UN Country Team & UNMIL Hold Partnership Dialogue(The INQUIRER)

Ellen Visits Accident Victims' Families

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has paid a visit to the families of two kids killed in a fatal motorcade accident last Wednesday, 30 November after she departed Liberia for Ghana. Families spokesman Mr. Mark Korda said the kids were friends, who attended school together prior to their death. Speaking earlier, the spokesperson of the Family, Mark Korda, thanked President Sirleaf for her concern acknowledging that the tragic incident was an accident and should be seeing as such. President Sirleaf, upon her returned to the country on Tuesday, 6 December, made her first stop at the residence of the kids' parents close to the ELWA Junction and expressed sorrows and regrets over the incident, writes the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: Convoy Victims’ Family Wants Befitting Burial As Ellen Pays Visit(Daily Observer), Ellen Sympathizes With Accident Victims’ Family(The INQUIRER)  

ECOWAS Gender Commissioner Leads Humanitarian Mission to Liberia 

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Dr. Fatimata Dia Sow, today paid a one-day working visit to Liberia on Wednesday, December 7, 2016. Dr. Dia Sow will make an official delivery of an ECOWAS Humanitarian Assistance for vulnerable people and orphans affected by the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and meet the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Julia Duncan-Cassell at the Ministry’s Capitol Bye-Pass office. The daily reads that a two-minute silence in memory of those who lost their lives to the EVD is expected to be observed during the presentation. Minister Cassell who also chairs ECOWAS’ Gender activities is expected to also discuss with Commissioner Sow other regional gender issues.

Related Captions: ECOWAS Gender Commissioner Leads Humanitarian Mission To Liberia(The INQUIRER)ECOWAS Gender Commissioner Leads Humanitarian Mission to Liberia(FOCUS), ECOWASGender Commissioner Leads Humanitarian Mission To Liberia(Heritage)  

Liberia’s Self-Assessment Study Begins-Technical Research Institutes (TRIs) Contracted 

Quoting a press release, the Daily Observer reads that the African Peer Review (APRM) Liberia Country Program, a specialized unit within the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), and four technical research institutes have signed agreements aimed at conducting Liberia’s self-assessment study in the context of the four pillars of its framework. The four research institutes include Center for Democratic Governance; Agency for Economic Development and Empowerment (AEDE); Liberia Media Center (LMC) and Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD). According to the daily, the country self-assessment study (CSA) is a key milestone under stage one of the five APRM implementation stages. It involves the internal self-assessment of governance policies, standards and practices and the preparation of a draft report and National Program of Action (NPoA) that will be validated by a panel of eminent persons from the APR Continental Secretariat in Midrand, South Africa. The Country Self-Assessment (CSA) Study, which is expected to last for three months, is in furtherance of Liberia’s commitment to undertake the APRM Country Review in June 2017.

Related Captions: Liberia Begins Country Self-Assessment Study Under APRM(FOCUS), Liberia Begins Country Self-Assessment Study Under APRM(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES  

President Sirleaf Holds Talks With Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has praised her Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari for his continued role in the sub-region aimed at finding peace to challenges occasioning the Community. According to a dispatch from Abuja, the Liberian leader was speaking during a press stakeout at the Presidential Palace (Aso Rock) in Abuja. President Sirleaf termed the Nigerian leader as a man of great honor and statesmanship, who she can always count on for pieces of advice. President Sirleaf commended President Buhari for his unrelenting support to ECOWAS in furtherance of its goals and aspirations in the interest of the people of the sub-region. For his part, President Buhari said Nigeria is fully committed to enhancing the overall fundamental principles of ECOWAS in transforming it from ECOWAS of States to one of people. He thanked President Sirleaf for her visit and assured her of his unflinching commitment to the collective determination of the Commission, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.  

President Sirleaf Commends ECOWAS Efforts Against Terrorism

  
The Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has commended efforts made to curb terrorism in the sub-region. The Daily Observer writes that the Liberian leader spoke to newsmen during her two-day official visit to the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday. She said that information sharing among member states had contributed immensely to the peace and security being enjoyed by member states. "A lot of effort has been made to contain terrorist acts. "The ECOWAS Commission has a very effective work in terms of the peace and security commission that has early warning signals. "We all are still vulnerable to terrorist acts, but by the exchange of information and the effective work of the commission, we have been able to keep the peace, access where threats are and formulate proper measures to address them," she said. According to her, the sub-region has also moved in the direction of achieving the ECOWAS Vision 2020.  

3-Day ‘Free Calls’ In Danger-House Approves Tax Increment 

According to the Daily Observer, the House of Representatives has discussed and passed the proposed Tax Amendment Act of 2016, which increased taxes on the 3-day ‘free calls’ scheme provided by GSM companies, alcoholic beverages, hotel, gambling and restaurant services, pending the Senate’s concurrence. At the Extraordinary Session of the 53rd Legislature Tuesday, some of the lawmakers argued that the US$0.01 (one U.S. cent) charged per minute on all calls was not in the interest of the people of Liberia, which led them to vote 32 for, 21 against and 5 abstaining from the process.

Related Caption: Three Days Calls Threatened-House Vote To Impose Taxes On Call (FrontPage Africa)

EU To Train Liberians Fisheries Inspectors

Information gathered revealed that fishing experts from Europe are expected to arrive in Liberia this week to conduct a two-day training of Liberia fisheries inspectors and monitoring personnel. The information maintained that the capacity-building event will be held in Monrovia on 8-9 December 2016. According to a release from offices of the Europeans Union in Monrovia representative of the European Commission (EC), the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the Spanish Fishing Monitoring Centre (FMC), the Liberian FMC and the Bureau of National (BNF) will participant in the training. As per the request put forth by Liberian authorities, the workshop will focus on remote tracking of tuna vessels, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Britain Renews Commitment to Liberia’s Growth

The British Minister for Africa at the Department for International Development (DFID), James Wharton, has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to Liberia’s development drive under a healthy climate of open and democratic governance. He also re-committed the British Government’s support for Liberia post-Ebola economic reordering with a central focus on value-addition. Mr. Wharton was speaking during a meeting with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf recently in London, according to a dispatch sent by the Liberian delegation, the FOCUS newspaper says.  

“GOL Remains Committed to Democratic Transition in 2017” President Sirleaf Reiterates 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has assured Liberians of government’s commitment to transitioning the country to democratic governance in 2017. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf indicated that the 2017 Presidential and Legislative elections represent a significant era in Liberia’s history. The Liberian leader reaffirm her support to maintain Liberia’s rich cultural heritage, while ensuring that children of school going age do not lose their time due to adherence to traditional norms, the FOCUS headline says.  

Liberian-American Appointed on California’s City Council Advisory Board 

A front-page story of the Focus newspaper reads that Liberian-born Elphinstone James Birch has been appointed to the Senior Advisory Commission by the City Council of Santa Clara, California, to fill a partial term up to June 30, 2017. The appointment takes immediate effect, the paper says.

Ellen Hails Gambian Polls, Winner

Liberian President and Chairperson of the Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS Authority, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has sent a congratulatory message to the President-elect of the Islamic Republic of the Gambia, Mr. Adama Barrow. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the congratulatory message in part said, “on behalf of the Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS Authority, and in my own name, I extend to you and through Your Excellency, to the Government and people of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia, warmest congratulations on the occasion of your election to the presidency of your great country.”, the Heritage newspaper says  

LNP Boss Leads Four-Man Delegation To Observe Ghana’s Elections 

The Inspector-General of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Col. Gregory Coleman, has departed the country as head of a four-man delegation to observe the Ghanaians elections slated for today, Wednesday, December 07, 2016. The police chief’s visit to Ghana is intended to observe the role of the Ghanaian Police Service in that country’s elections. The LNP boss and delegates departed the country on Monday, December 5, 2016. He stated that the visit will afford the LNP the opportunity to customize best practices that will be used by the Ghanaians Police in handling the country’s elections, the Heritage newspaper asserts.

On Security Reforms, Rule of Law & Reconciliation: ‘No Progress,’ UN Boss Asserts

The Secretary General of the United Nations has recognized that there are still a number of challenges facing Liberia. He named the most prominent ones as the lack of progress on security sector reform, the rule of law and national reconciliation. These revelations were contained in the December 2016 Monthly Forecast of the UN Security Council. According to the Forecast, the mandate of the UN Mission in Liberia expires on 31 December. The Council is expected to hold consultations and subsequently adopt a resolution on UNMIL in line with the Secretary-General’s recommendations contained in his report on the assessment mission to Liberia. Briefings by DPKO and the peace Building Commission are likely, according to the Forecast, the INSIGHT newspaper reads.  

President Sirleaf Congratulates President-elect Van Der Bellen 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to the President-elect of the Federal Republic of Austria, H. E. Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, on the occasion marking his election as President of that country. According to a Foreign Ministry Release, the Liberian President, in her message, expressed how delighted she is to extend heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name. She further stated: “I am confident that you bring to this very demanding office a wealth of experience, particularly after a decade-long spell as leader of the Green Party and a retired professor of economics at the University of Vienna,” the INSIGHT newspaper says.

LEITI Takes Report to Citizens Rivercess, Grand Bassa, Margibi Applaud “Valuable Information”

The maxim ‘knowledge is power” has been made manifest by the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) as the tripartite organization takes its seventh covering the period July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 and eighth covering the period July   1, 2014 to June 30, 2015 reconciliation reports to citizens in Rivercess, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado counties to inform them about the content of the two reports in terms of the tracking of revenue generated by the government from the extractive sector are concerned. According to the head of the team, Mr. George Dennis, the outreach was intended to enlighten citizens about the amount of money being generated from the extractive sectors as indicated in receipts from the companies as well as from the government through the Liberia Re venue Authority, (LRA), reads the Focus news daily.

Related Caption: LEITI Takes Report Tp Citizens…Rivercess, Grand Bassa, Margibi Applaud Valuable Information(The INQUIRER)