The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2017

Today’s edition of our Summary of the local dailies highlights news of the ground breaking for the cross-border connectivity to improve access to electricity in Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Guinea, ECOWAS’ “in principle” approval of Morocco’s membership application to that body and the national legislature assurance of timely passage of the 2017/18 National Budget.

DOMINANT STORIES

Affordable Energy For ECOWAS Cross Border Connectivity to Improve Access to Electricity in West Africa

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, access to reliable and affordable energy in four West Africa countries will be transformed once a new 1303 km electricity interconnector, inaugurated on Sunday, June 4, 2017, on the sideline of the ECOWAS Heads of State Summit in Monrovia, is operational. The daily says the first cross-border energy supply between Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea will support economic development, reduce the need to use expensive generators and allow existing and future hydropower projects to benefit the region. President Ellen Johnson of Liberia led the historic ground breaking of the energy project. Joining her were her counterparts from Côte d’Ivoire (President Alassane Ouattara), Sierra Leone (President Ernest Bai Koroma) and Guinea (President Alpha Conde). Donor partners, contractors and other high-level officials from ECOWAS, CLSG countries and the international community were in attendance.

Related Captions: Showcasing Energy Revolution In MRU Countries (In Profile Daily), Cross Border Electricity Link To Transform Access To Energy (Heritage)

ECOWAS Agrees To Admit Morocco To West Africa Body

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, West African regional group, ECOWAS has in principle approved Morocco’s membership application despite the country being in North Africa. ECOWAS leaders’ meeting in Liberia said the implications of its membership still needed to be considered before Morocco could formally join. According to the daily, Ivory Coast President Alasanne Quattara has confirmed that the decision had been agreed in principle but detail still had to be worked out.

Related Captions: ECOWAS Agrees To Admit Morocco To West African Body (In Profile Daily), ECOWAS Admits Morocco, But … (FrontPage Africa)

As Joint Legislative Committee Commences Budget Hearings: Heads Of Agencies Warned Against Delinquencies

The Joint Committee Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning, Accounts has officially commenced public hearings on the revenue component of Draft National Budget  for Fiscal Year 2017/2018, with a call on heads of government ministries and agencies to avoid procrastinating their respective appearances during the process. Speaking during the official opening of hearings on the draft budget for Fiscal Year 2017/2018 on Monday, June 5, 2017, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Representative Prince Moye, warned heads of government ministries and agencies to be punctual in honoring their respective schedules, Heritage newspaper writes.

Related Captions: As October Elections Fast Approach: Budget  Passage  Gets In Hurry (INSIGHT), Legislature Starts 2017/18 Budget Hearings-Assures Timely Passage (FOCUS), Budget goes for 4G passage (The New Dawn)

OTHER STORIES

ECOWAS Commission President Lauds President Sirleaf for Good Leadership      

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Marcel Alain de Souza paid a well-deserve tribute to the outgoing Chairperson of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, for her commitment to regional integration, peace and decisive leadership during her tenure as the sub-regional organization’s first female Chairperson of the Authority, INSIGHT newspaper reports

Pres. Sirleaf Wants ECOWAS Nations Diversify Economies

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said ECOWAS countries must diversify their economies and invest in small transformative industries if the region is to recover from the current economic meltdown occasioned by the drop in the prices of their major exports, INSIGHT newspaper reports.

Related Caption: Ellen Wants ECOWAS Nations Diversify Economies (Heritage)

Netanyahu Reaffirms Israel, Africa Ties

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that “Israel is coming back to Africa and Africa is coming back to Israel”, in an effort to reconsolidate the relationship that existed between Israel and Africa. According to the INSIGHT newspaper, PM Netanyahu pointed out that Israel’s realignment to Africa is not basically to join forces to fight the bad, but to work with African governments to advance the good; adding “I believe in Africa and its present and future potentials; I believe Africa is on the rise and its people are talented”.

UN SG Guterres Urges World To Nurture Healthy Environment

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has pointed out that in the absence of a healthy environment the world cannot end poverty or build prosperity. Guterres urged all people the world over to play a role in protecting the environment by using less plastic, wasting less food and teaching each other to care. The UNSG made the statement in a video message on Monday as the world observed “World Environmental say,” FOCUS newspaper reports.

Related Caption: UN SG Guterres Urges World To Nurture Healthy Environment (Heritage)

Agric, Infrastructure Key To Vision 2030 -  Sirleaf

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called on ECOWAS member states to direct their capital and human resources in the areas of agriculture and infrastructure, if they are to attain Vision 2020. Pres. Sirleaf, who served as Chair of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, made the call at the 51^st ECOWAS Heads of State Summit held in Liberia on Sunday, at which time she turned over the gavel of ECOWAS leadership to Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe, FOCUS newspaper reports.

Africa’s Economic Development Champion…ALM Features NPA Boss

National Port Authority Managing Director, Mr. David Williams, is being featured in the May 2017 edition of the AFRICAN LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE, as ‘Africa’s Economic Development Champion’. The forum was held under the theme: UK-Africa Trade & Investment relations in Disruptive time” with over 250 world business leaders, investors, heads of Cooperate agencies, government ministries and private institutions from different countries in attendance, Heritage newspaper reports.

Related Caption: Africa Leadership Magazine Features Liberia's Port Authority Chief, David F. Williams (FrontPage Africa)

LIGIS Conducts Census Workshop For Media Practitioners

The Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services or LIGIS has concluded a one-day capacity building workshop on the National Establishment Census for media practitioners in the country. The workshop conducted Saturday, 3 June was aimed at creating awareness on the National Establishment Census. LISGIS Project Director, Mr. Rudi Vinton, says the purpose of the National Establishment Census is to produce a comprehensive and updated profile of all economic activities of establishments operating here in Liberia, reads the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption: LISGIS Launches National Establishment Census 2017 (In Profile Daily)

20 Parties Sign Declaration For Peaceful Election

Twenty of Liberia’s twenty two political parties have signed on to what is now called “the Farmington River Declaration”, committing themselves to the holding of peaceful elections and judicial resolution election disputes in Liberia. ECOWAS and other world leaders witnessed the signing of the Declaration during the ECOWAS Summit held on Sunday, June 4, 2017, at the Farmington river Hotel in Margibi county, the INQUIRER newspaper asserts.

UN Women Remains Committed To Women Empowerment…Says Representative

UN Women representative to Liberia, Peterson Magoola says the United Nations Women’s Organization remains committed in responding to the needs of women entrepreneurs and strengthening partnership with institutions of the private sector to improve and diversify the livelihood of market women in the country, According to the UN Women Representative, the program is currently being implemented by UN Women in close collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Liberia Marketing Association including with UN FAQ and WFP Liberia under the SIDA funded joint Program on Accelerating Progress towards the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women,  the INQUIRER newspaper reports.

UN Women Sponsors Capacity Building For Rural Building

Women from the fifteen political-sub divisions have begun a three-day capacity building training organized by Liberia National Rural Women Structure at the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) in Congo Town.  The capacity building training, which is being backed by the UN Women and Kvinna till Kvinnais, is aimed at highlighting the essence of female leadership in the country. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, during the three days training, women from around the country will learn the essence of making good decisions in order to choose their leaders as the election date draws closer. Good moral conduct, good communication skills among other skill sets will be taught.

To Establish Cause Of Fire Incident At NDS: Health Ministry Launches Investigation

At about 9:00pm on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, fire gutted one of the six warehouses and the Laboratory at the National Drug Service (NDS) situated in the compound of the John f. Kennedy Medical Center.  The Ministry of Health has launched a major investigation to establish the cause of the Fire incident and the outcome will be made public. The National Drug Service Management team however assures that its distribution of essential medicines to the health facilities across the country will continue, Heritage newspaper write.

Action Now Launches Electronic Library

A non-governmental organization, “Action Now” over the weekend officially launched the Electronic Library (E-Library) in the Wood CAMP Community, Paynesville. Action Now in collaboration with Camp Peace-Liberia provided forty tablets with wifi that contain all subjects from nursery to 12^th grade. The materials are initial supply to schools in District #3 Montserrado County, aimed to providing quality education in the district. Speaking at a colorful ceremony held at the Billie Call Christian School, the Executive Director of Camp for Peace-Liberia, Abel Learwellie, said his organizational sector of Liberia and provide an enabling learning environment, FOCUS newspaper reports.

World Clubfoot Day Celebrated-Budgetary Allotment Advocated

World Clubfoot Day was for the second time commemorated over the weekend in Liberia through a local clubfoot organization, Liberia Clubfoot Program (LCP) in Paynesville, Montserrado County. In Liberia, Clubfoot is known as turtle or crab foot. According to recent statistics released, clubfoot is the most common musculoskeletal birth deformity, affecting 200,000 newborn children each year, with 80 percent in developing countries like Liberia. Speaking Saturday, June 3, 2017 at the organization’s offices located in Bassa town Community, Paynesville, LCP executive Director, Augustine Chiewolo, called on the Liberian Government to provide budgetary allotment for the clubfoot program in Liberia for future substantiality, the In Profile Daily reports.

LoneStar Cell MTN Observes 21 Day of Ye’llow Care

Liberia’s leading telecommunication network Lone Star cell MTN has begun observing 21 days of Ye’llow Care activities across the country, aimed at identifying with institutions that need assistance. Addressing students of the Demonstration Elementary and Junior High School Recently on Clay Street, Deputy Lone Star Cell CEO Mr. Louise Roberts said the 21-day program is an annual event of the company in the 22 countries in which the company operates to give back to the various communities where it carries out its activities. According him, they are targeting the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), noting that the company seeks to give back and to inform the people that it still cares for them, not for profit-making, but to help them with their projects including renovations, library, and construction of hand pumps and ruffing, among others, the New Dawn newspaper reads.