The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017

Today’s edition of our Summary of the local dailies highlights among other stories news of President Sirleaf’s call for Cabinet members to show courtesy to each other, Vice President Joseph N. Boakai’s return to the country following a weeklong visit to Europe and President Sirleaf’s submission of an amendment to the Legislature, calling for the modification of the Concession agreement between Firestone Liberia Incorporated and the Republic of Liberia.

Ellen Makes Last Minute Call

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has  urged Cabinet members to show courtesy to each other on grounds that “it’s not good enough for a minister to go [to] see another minister and the visiting minister doesn’t see the other, only to be told “I cannot see you”. “We want to ask you to have more in terms of coordination … that’s been one of our chief shortcomings. People not talking to each other; people not communicating with each other; people not sharing with each other,” President Sirleaf said. As government embarks upon the last mile of its activities, President Sirleaf says she trusts that each of her Cabinet members would bring a very strong determination and much stronger effort to get the results that government wants. President Sirleaf has asked her officials to commit to achieving the programs set before them and the goals that will be set in the last few months, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Vice President Boakai Ends Foreign Visit

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has returned home following a weeklong visit to Europe that took him to Geneva Switzerland, Paris, France and London, England. While in Geneva, Vice President Boakai held discussions with the Vice President of the Swiss Federation, met with the heads of the World Health Organization, the Head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Former Secretary General of the United Nations Headquarters in Europe, the In Profile Daily reads.

Related Caption: Vice President Joseph N. Boakai Returns Home(The INQUIRER)

EJS Submits Firestone Agreement for Legislative Action

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has submitted an amendment to the Legislature, calling for the modification of the Concession agreement between Firestone Liberia Incorporated and the Republic of Liberia. The Plenary received the Communication and forward it to its appropriate Committees for scrutiny. The Amendment seeks to amend certain provisions in the 2008 Firestone Concession Agreement. The Committees are Agriculture, Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning, Investment and Concession and Contract and Monopolies. The decision of the Body was made on Thursday, 30, 2017, during the 22^nd day sitting. The Bill titled: “Amended and Restated Concession Agreement between the Republic of Liberia and Firestone Liberia Inc.,” when ratified, will enable the rubber company to consider and begin the process of engaging into other agriculture productions.

House Ratifies US$20M Loan for Gbarnga-Salayea Road

Members of the House of Representatives have ratified the Loan Agreement signed between the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the Republic of Liberia for the construction of the Gbarnga (Bong County)–Salayea (Lofa County) road. The loan is seventy-five million (75,000,000) Saudi Riyals, which is equivalent to US$20 million. The Daily Observer says the Lawmakers approved the financial deal Thursday according to a report from the Joint Committee of Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning, Foreign Affairs and Judiciary. The project, upon its completion, will provide expanded road connectivity to rural parts of the country and will boost Liberia’s development agenda by stimulating economic activities through easy access of goods and services. It will also facilitate the free movement of people across the country.

Enhancing Effectiveness Deputy Police Inspector To Represents W/ A At FBI National Academy

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reads that Deputy Inspector General of Police for Training and Manpower Development, Col. William K. Mulbah, will depart the country Today, March 31 to represent West Africa for a three-month training at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy, in the United States of America. Col. Mulbah has promised to represent the region at the highest level and ensure that Liberia is made proud. Col. Mulbah said his nomination comes after a rigorous vetting process by the Legal attaché, United States Embassy near Dakar, Senegal. He said the training is the 268 Session of the FBI Prestigious National Academy, Quantico, USA. Col. Mulbah said representing West Africa or Liberia would indicate that the security sector is doing well and it also shows the level of reforms taking place in the security sector, particularly the LNP.

Related Caption: At 268^th FBI Training In USA: NPTA Boss To Represent West Africa(Heritage)

Chinese Envoy Addresses PUL’s Forum Today

Mr. Li Zhuang, the Political Counselor and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Liberia, is expected to serve as one of the panelists of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) Edward Wilmot Blyden today in Monrovia. A media advisory released Thursday by the PUL Intellectual Discourse Committee named Mr. Phillip Wesseh, Managing Editor of Inquirer Newspaper as one of the panelists. According to the committee, today’s forum will discuss the “One China” Policy and its impact on Africa, the In Profile Daily.

COYPED, Partners Launch Alcohol, Drug Prevention Project In Liberia

The Consolidated Youth for Peace and Development (COYPED), a registered non-profit youth led organization and partners have launched the Peer Education Program for Alcohol and Drug Prevention among Young People in Liberia project. Speaking at the launch of the project recently in the conference room of the YMCA in Monrovia, COYJPED’s Executive Director, James Koryor stated that UNODC, in collaboration with The ECOWAS Commission, is implementing a regional project to “Support the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on illicit drug trafficking, related organized crime and drug abuse in West Africa, the FOCUS newspaper reads. Mr. Koryor stressed that as part of the project implementation, UNODC, ECOWAS and the EU announce a call for proposals in support of innovative and pilot prevention initiatives in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mauritania and Sierra Leone, the paper says.

USAID, LEGIT Take Accountability Training to Grand Gedeh County

In an effort to promote the twin concept of transparency and accountability at the counties level,  USAID Local Empowerment for Government Inclusion and Transparency (LEGIT)  Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (M&EL) Team conducts three-day technical training in Monitoring and Evaluations. The training, which started on 28 March 2017 in the city of Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County brought together officials of the city and county authorities, county monitoring officers, and representatives from the government Ministries, Agencies and Commissions (MAC). LEGIT is a US$10 million USAID supported project that seeks to increase the accountability, transparency and effectiveness of sub-national governments’ resources in three of the fifteen counties of Liberia-namely; Gbarnga City, Bong County, Ganta City, Nimba County and Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County. FrontPage Africa

Related Caption:USAID, LEGIT Takes M &E Training to County and City Authorities Of Grand Gedeh County(The INQUIRER)

TOTAL Liberia Donates To Redemption Hospital

According to the Daily Observer, Total-Liberia Thursday donated a consignment of medical supplies to the government-run Redemption Hospital in the Borough of New Kru Town, outside Monrovia. Ms. Sylvia Corker, the company’s corporate Affairs Manager, said: “Since arriving in Liberia, Total-Liberia has undertaken a commitment to make a wider contribution through its corporate social responsibility programs across the areas in which we operate.” The Materials included surgical gowns, shoe covers, and several other accessories. The hospital’s administrator, Dominic Rennie, who received the items, said that the support from Total-Liberia will contribute to essential surgical works at the hospital.

Labor to Report On Disabled Persons

Concerns have been raised by Representative Richmond S. Anderson about the status of employment of qualified disabled persons in Government Ministries and Agencies. Representative Anderson told his colleagues yesterday in session that it is necessary for the Ministry of Labor to provide the status of Presidential proclamation which mandated all ministries and agencies to employ at least two qualified disabled persons, reports the INQUIRER newspaper.

NIC Launches Business, Human Rights Network

The Daily Observer says authorities at the National Investment Commission (NIC) Thursday launched, for the first time in the country, a Business and Human Rights Network (BHRN). The Network, according to Mr. Adama K. Dempster, National Director for Independent Human Rights Investigator (IHRI) and a member of the BHRN, the network is intended for an effective and comprehensive implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights throughout the relevant state institutions and business sector of Liberia. He said business and human rights stakeholders therefore request the government through the ministries of Justice, Labor and Commerce, and the NIC and National Bureau of Concessions to establish a standard policy of respect for business and human rights, and for it to be integrated into all concession/investment agreements and business registrations processed through the Liberia Business Registry.

FAO Offers US$98,000 to Strengthen Forest and Farm Producers

The Daily Observer reads that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) program has signed an agreement with the Farmers’ Union Network of Liberia (FUN) providing US$98,000 to strengthen the capacity of Forest and Farm Producers Organizations (FFPOs) in Liberia. The new FFF agreement with FUN is the second targeting three additional counties, including River Cess, Gbarpolu and Margibi. The first agreement supported Lofa, Cape Mount and Nimba counties, bringing the total number of counties supported by the FFF through the FUN to six. The agreement aims to establish and strengthen the forest and farm commodity associations, improve communications and advocacy at local and national levels, as well as enhance their business and marketing capacities.