The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017

Today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies highlights the visit of the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Norway, His Royal Highness Prince Haakon Magnus with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the climax of the Prince’s visit to Liberia.

DOMINANT STORY

President Sirleaf Receives Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of The Kingdom Norway

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Wednesday received the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Norway, His Royal Highness Prince Haakon Magnus at her Foreign Ministry Office in Monrovia. The Crown Prince was on a 4-Day visit to Liberia at the invitation of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). President Sirleaf reflected on Liberia’s difficult journey towards the promotion of peace, reconciliation, healing, national development and reconstruction. She recounted the progressive gains made before the interruptions caused by a decline in global commodity prices and the Ebola Virus Disease, which affected every program of the country. She commended Prince Haakon for his visit to Liberia and for the numerous support Liberia has received both from Norway and the United Nations Development Program. For his part, Crown Prince Haakon thanked President Sirleaf for receiving him and provided updates on his visit to Liberia. He also thanked members of the United Nations family and the Government of Liberia for making his visit and activities successful and rewarding. The Crown Prince of Norway acknowledged that great possibilities and momentum exist for real time progress in Liberia and called on the Government and people of Liberia to exert every effort to redirect the nation to its pre-Ebola status. He also called for stronger attention to be given to the agricultural sector and different aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as interventions through which the progress of the nation can be enhanced for the good of the country and its people, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper. The In Profile Daily reports under the caption “UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon Wraps Up Visit To Liberia, Calls On Youth To Work For The Global Goals” that the UNDP Ambassador, at a Cocktail Reception hosted in his honor by the Liberian Government at the Foreign Ministry’s C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium acknowledged that the country is facing dare economic circumstances, occasioned by the global slump in commodity prices coupled with the lingering consequences of the Ebola crisis. He stated, “Ebola took an unprecedented toll on human life and caused immense suffering of individuals, communities and households in Liberia. He added that the UN will continue its firm engagement here, working as one, to support Liberia in her efforts to reach the ambitious goals set forth. Speaking earlier, the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. B. Elias Shoniyin applauded the UNDP Goodwill Ambassador’s personal contribution to global efforts aimed at ending poverty in all its forms, as he welcomed him and his delegation to Liberia. Mr. Shoniyin also stated that while he acknowledged the Crown Prince’s goodwill, the government also celebrates the long and consistent relationship subsisting between Liberia and Norway, punctuated by cordiality and amity; adding, “Norway remains a significant partner in our development agenda.” Touching on the role of UNDP, Mr. Shoniyin stressed that Liberia’s post-war development history can hardly be fully told without narrating the central role of the UN Agency.

Related Caption: Norway Calls For Peaceful Elections (The New Dawn)

Crown Prince Lauds Ebola survivors, Contact Tracers

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, has lauded Ebola survivors and Ebola Response Workers and has commended them for a job well done. “We salute the courage and commitment of all the people who led the fight against Ebola,” Crown Prince Haakon said in Monrovia, on the second of a four-day visit to the country. Liberia was hit by the Ebola Virus Disease epidemic in 2014. Some 4,806 people lost their lives, and more than 4,500 children were orphaned. Since the disease waned, some survivors have faced stigma, finding it difficult to find employment or receive healthcare, reads the Daily Observer.

OTHER STORIES

ILO Official Hails Gov’t For Nat’l Plan On Child Labour

The Senior Specialist on Fundamental Principles and Rights at the International Labour Organization (ILO), Sophie De Coninck, has praised the government for the Technical Balidation the National Action Plan to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labour in the country. The document, the finalization and subsequent endorsement of which she anticipates soon, was validated in February this year. Addressing the opening of the ongoing four-day training workshop for Labour Inspectors and enforcement agencies, De Coninck said the ILO looks forward to pursuing its collaboration with constituents and other partners in the country for its implement when finalized and endorsed by government, reports the Heritage newspaper.

Related Caption: ILO Official Hails Gov’t For Nat’l Plan – On Child Labour (Focus)

Defense Ministry To Deploy Soldiers On Camp Ramrod Saturday

The Ministry of National Defense is to deploy a contingent of soldiers at Camp Ramrod Army Barracks on Somalia Drive in Gardnersville outside Monrovia beginning this weekend for a “clear survey” of the facility in preparation for the military to occupy the camp on May 1. Defense Minister Brownie Samukai told the “Truth Breakfast Show” Tuesday that those residing on the camp have up to April 30 to vacate the area. He said military trucks will also be made available at the barracks this Saturday to help evacuate free-of-charge residents who are ready to move, but don’t have the money to do, reports the Heritage newspaper.

Related Caption: MOD Prepares For Barrack –As Defense Ministry Set To Deploy Soldiers on Camp Ramrod Saturday (FOCUS)

LNP Takes Non-Violence Message Nationwide – Spokesman

According to the FOCUS newspaper, Police Spokesman Sam Collins says the Liberia National Police (LNP) has intensified its nationwide tour spreading non-violence messages ahead of the October 2017 Presidential and Legislative elections. He said the campaign is part of the police community initiative to promote a peaceful transition which, the Liberia National Police says, is crucial to the promotion and protection of Liberia’s peace and democracy. In an interview with the Liberia News Agency Wednesday, Collins said the tour over the weekend took them to Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties, where they held meetings with county authorities and community residents. According to him, citizens of the two counties said they were overwhelmed by the initiative of the Liberia National Police to reach out to promote peace ahead of the elections.

AFELL Condemns Violence Against Women, Children

The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) has condemned in the strongest terms the alleged rape of a 42-year-old woman, Korto Kollie, whose corpse was discovered by police in Monrovia on the morning of March 25, 2017. The Association, through its President, Atty. Vivian D. Neal, also condemned recent reports of the rape of two children in Kakata, Margibi County, and New Georgia Estate, Montserrado County, respectively. AFELL called upon the police to leave no stone un-turned in apprehending the suspects and bringing them to justice. Atty. Neal described the crimes as evil and diabolical. The AFELL statement assured the government through the Ministry of Justice of the association’s willingness to collaborate with state prosecutors to speedily bring the perpetrators to justice, according to the Daily Observer.

WAEC Reveals Progress

The head of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Monrovia office, John Y. Gayvolor, has revealed some level of progress made by the institution. Gayvolor said the council has two types of exam including the National Exam (WAEC) and the International Exam: West Africa Senior Secondary Exam (WASSE) that is ongoing by students of some school in the country. He made the disclosure recently at the Head office in Congo Town Monrovia, noting that they started administering WASSE on the 29^th of March and will be completed the 29^th of April 2017. Gayvolor said the test is being administered in five out of the 15 counties, naming five counties as: Bong, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado. The head of WAEC disclosed that there are 10,464 candidates sitting WASSE test across the five counties, reports the In Profile Daily.

Yarpah’s Town Gets US$46K Training Center

According to Heritage newspaper, citizens of Yarpah’s Town and 22 other communities in River Cess County have expressed joy for the construction of a US$46,000 vocational training center in the town through the Liberia-EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA). The Liberia-EU VPA is a legally binding agreement that addresses issues of illegal logging, improved forest governance and trade in verified legal timber products and ensures that affected communities benefit from funds that are generated from the sale of the logs. Speaking on behalf of the women of the town at a welcome ceremony for a delegation from the EU-Liberia office and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) who went to assess the project on Tuesday, Ma Juliet Sando thanked the government and EU for ensuring that they benefit from their natural resources.

Related Caption: Add Value to Exports – EU Official Urges Liberia (Focus)

Take Advantage of Training Opportunities…Media Practitioner Urged

Twenty five (25) participants at a week-long workshop for media practitioners and staff of the budget office of the National Legislature were Friday, March 24, 2017, awarded certificates following the end of an exercise conducted at the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) in Monrovia. The workshop, organized by the CBL and facilitated by the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), was intended to provide participants with a practical overview and insight into economic and financial markets and upgrade the knowledge and skills of financial analysts in economic and financial analysis and performance monitoring, reports the Heritage newspaper.

FAO Offers US$98K To Strengthen Forest And Farm Producers

The Daily Observer reports that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) program on March 28, 2017 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 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. Mr. Julius Bass, National Coordinator of FUN, signed the agreement on behalf of his organization, while Mr. Marc Abdala, FAO Country Representative, signed for FAO.

INHR Ends Workshop On Action Plan

The New Dawn newspaper reads that a two-day workshop for judicial actors in River Gee, Grand Kru, and Maryland Counties on the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan has ended in Harper City, Maryland County. The workshop brought together county attorneys, superintendents, gender coordinators and civil society organizations, among others. According to the Director for Legislative Assistance on treaty matters and laws of the Independent National Human Rights, Nathaniel Solo, the purpose of the workshop is to decentralize the Action Plan. Mr. Solo said, the document is a five-year plan by the Government of Liberia aimed at achieving and protecting the human rights of citizens and people residing within the territories of Liberia. The two days’ workshop taught participants on actuality of the National Human Rights Action Plan and the role of government institutions in ensuring its implementation.