The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018

News of The Canadian Ambassador To Liberia, H.E. Julie Shouldic Paying  A Courtesy Call On President Weah; the recent comment by Ambassador  Lewis  Brown on the need for United Nation’s support for peace building in Liberia ; the ongoing feasibility study for the  construction of a flyover Bridge to link Central Monrovia with the Townships of Gardnerville and its surrounding ;  the meeting between ECOWAS’ Observer team headed by  Dr. Amos C. Sawyer  and the Sierra Leonean  President are stories captured in today’s summary of the local dailies.

Weah Receives Canadian Ambassador To Liberia

President George Manneh Weah has received in audience the Canadian Ambassador to Liberia, H.E. Julie Shouldic. The Canadian envoy was accompanied by Ms. Isabel Mainville, Political Counselor at the Canadian Embassy accredited to Liberia. According to an Executive Mansion release the Liberian leader received Ambassador Shouldic on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 when she paid a courtesy call on him at his Foreign Ministry Office in Monrovia. The Heritage newspaper says the meeting was characterized by mutual exchange of ideas and cooperation between both countries and peoples. Ambassador Shouldic was escorted to President Weah’s Office by Foreign Minister Gbehzohngar Findley.

Related Caption: President Weah Receives Canadian Ambassador, Julie Shouldic (The INQUIRER)

Don’t Withdraw Support Liberia’s Permanent Representative To The United Nations Stresses Need for UN’s Support For Peacebuilding

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that Liberia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Lewis Garseedah Brown has stressed the need for effective transition from 'peacekeeping to peacebuilding' to feature highly in the reform of the UN peace and security architecture. Ambassador Brown said immediately withdrawing support from a nation at the end of peacekeeping operations could have adverse effects. A dispatch from Liberia's Mission to the United Nations however quotes Ambassador Brown as saying " as the UN ends its peacekeeping mission in Liberia this month, it is not time for the United Nations and the International Community to step back; rather it's the time to support Liberia in a way that gives confidence and holds the Government accountable for its commitments". Ambassador Brown was speaking Monday at a meeting between UN Secretary General António Guterres and host nations of UN peacekeeping missions including Liberia, Timor Leste, Guatemala and Afghanistan. The meeting followed the presentation of a proposal by the host nations on the reform of the UN peace and security architecture.

Related Caption: ‘Peacekeeping to Peacebuilding’-Amb. Brown Urges Support To Liberia’s Transition Under UN Peacekeeping Reforms (Daily Observer)

Flyover Bridge For Monrovia Soon

As part of the Pro-Poor Governance Agenda of the Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC), President George M. Weah has ordered a feasibility study to construct a bridge — a Flyover Bridge to join the City of Monrovia to the Townships of New Georgia, Gardnersville and Barnersville from Crown Hill. The feasibility study is to prepare the new flyover bridge investment to explore its requirements and subsequent operations and as well as analyze the technical, environmental, social and economic aspects – to give proposals for the structural system and cost for the implementation of the needed transport network. According to the Daily Observer, Presidential Press Secretary, Sam Mannah, speaking on a radio talk-show on Thursday, March 1, said the President has mandated the ministries of Public Works and Finance and Development Planning to carry out the study.

President Koroma Receives Head Of ECOWAS Observation Mission…Promises Successful Transition

The Heritage newspaper reports that outgoing Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma on Wednesday 28 February, at the Presidential Lodge in Freetown received Prof. Amos Sawyer, Head of the 55-member ECOWAS Observation Mission and renewed his government’s commitment to delivering credible general elections on March 7 for a successful political transition in the county. “We have come a long way and made some progress and from the preparations on the part of government, the Electoral Commission, security agencies and political parties, we expect a peaceful electoral process and transfer of political power,” President Koroma assured.

Related Caption: President Koroma Receives Head Of ECOWAS Observation Mission (INSIGHT)

Ahead March 7 Polls: Sierra Leone’s Judiciary To Expedite Cases

The Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, Justice Abdulai Hamid Charm has given an assurance that the Supreme Court will expedite action on three cases before it including the alleged dual citizenship of two of the 16 presidential candidates for the crucial March 7 general elections.  “We are doing our utmost to ensure that if there is any fault (delay) it would not be from the judiciary, but we also have to go by the rules,” the Chief Justice said in Freetown Thursday 1st March, during a meeting with visiting Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, Prof. Amos Sawyer. The dual citizenship cases involve the candidates of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) Kandeh Yumkellah and his ruling All People’s Congress (APC) counterpart, Wilson Samura Kamara, the outgoing Foreign Minister. Both cases along with an intra-party dispute are before the Supreme Court for constitutional interpretation. In his remarks, Prof. Sawyer had expressed the hope that the judiciary would live up to expectations by ensuring that election-related cases were handled expeditiously and according to the law of the land., reads the Heritage newspaper.

Related Caption: Ahead Of March 7 Polls: Sierra Leone’s Judiciary To Expedite Cases (INSIGHT)

New Education Minister Introduces Tough Policies…Says teachers, Like Drivers Will Hold License Before Teaching

The Daily Observer reads that Education Minister, Dr. Ansu D. Sonii has revealed that the new authorities of the Ministry of Education (MOE) have instituted 12-count plans they would execute to strengthen the country’s education sector in the coming years. Some of the tough measures, which the ministry has already embarked upon, according to Dr. Sonii, include the licensing of teachers, re-introduction of civics education in the national curriculum, and the drafting of law to establish an academic crime court to prosecute individuals suspected of committing fraud in the sector. Dr. Sonii explained that the new policies will ensure strict compliance, “because the new team has resolved that all teachers be licensed by the MoE authorities to identify a particular holder as a trained and bona-fide teacher.” The daily says Dr. Sonii spoke on Thursday, March 1 at a press conference in Monrovia.

Ghanaian To Showcase Culture Tues….As Country Celebrate Natal Day

Citizens of Ghana are expected to celebrate their Independence Anniversary next Tuesday, March 6. Ghanaian Ambassador to Liberia, H.E. Ernest B. Asare-Asiedu disclosed that as part of the celebration, the Embassy of Ghana in Monrovia will commemorate the anniversary with a reception on Tuesday. The Ghanaian Ambassador pointed out that Ghanaian residing in Liberia will showcase their culture through their traditional dresses thus symbolizing African value, asserts the INQUIRER newspaper.

“Women Are Playing Pivotal Role In Security Sector”…Says Deputy Police Chief

Deputy Police Director for Operations, Colonel Robert W. Budy, says more than before, women are playing pivotal role in revamping the Liberian security sector.  He says women have gradually learned to muster the courage, break the barriers, and overcome to serve in the security sector. According to the INSIGHT newspaper, Col. Budy made the observation at program marking the end of 16 weeks of training for Women in Peace Security Advance Specialized Course held Wednesday, February 28, at the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, University of Liberia.

FDA, Stakeholders Endorse 30 Percent Sustainable Management Of Forest

The Daily Observer asserts that senior officials of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), stakeholders and support partners in the forest sector Tuesday endorsed 30 percent sustainable management of the nation’s rich forest resources. For the past several years, the FDA technicians and support partners have been engaged in consultations on how Liberia can manage the forest sector. The consultations were held with communities and stakeholders to derive at a consensus on how the country will manage its forest reserves by closely monitoring commercial logging, conservation and protected areas from intruders.

Don’t Amend Article 27 Liberians in Diaspora Launch Campaign Against Citizenship For People Of Non-Negro Descent

Concerned diaspora Liberians based in the United States under the banner “Liberians in Defense of Article 27 (LIDA27” has launched a campaign to oppose the amendment of Article 27 of the Liberian Constitution, which bars people of non-negro descent from attaining Liberian citizenship. The Chairman of the LIDA27, Jerome Z. Gayman, said the campaign is in response to President George Weah’s Annual Message to the 54th National Legislature where he described the Liberian Constitution as racist and called for the amendment of Article 27 of the Liberian Constitution to grant citizenship to non-negro descent. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, Article 27 of the Constitution states: “In order to preserve, foster and maintain the positive Liberian culture, values and character, only persons who are Negroes or of negro’s descent shall qualify by birth or by naturalization to be citizens of Liberia.” In a statement, the Chairman of LIDA27 disclosed that the group has begun consultation with the U.S and Liberian governments to form alliances and build coalition with like-minded people to ensure proponents calling for the amendment of Article 27 are defeated in their selfish quest to enslave the Liberian populace.

Ghana Becomes Sovereign Shareholder In AFC

The Republic of Ghana has marked its 7th anniversary as a Member State of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) by becoming a sovereign shareholder in the Corporation, making an initial equity investment of US10 Million. The Government of Ghana has also committed to invest a further US$40 million in the Corporation, representing the second tranche of its US$50 million commitment to purchase AFC equity. Ghana has been a Member State of AFC since February 2011. Investments in the equity of AFC can be made by its Member States, by international organizations, as well as by private sector corporations. Andrew Alli, President and  Chief Executive Officer of AFC commented: “This investment not only strengthens the partnership between AF and Ghana, it also serves as an acknowledgement of AFC’s efforts thus far in the development financing of infrastructure in Africa and acts an incentive for AFC’s continued commitment to infrastructure development in Ghana,” writes Heritage newspaper.

WaterAid Liberia: Critical Moment Approaching In Liberia’s Fight For Clean Water And Decent Sanitation

According to the Heritage newspaper, the Liberian government must prioritize clean water, decent sanitation and good hygiene for people across the country, it Goal 6 – the provision of clean water and decent sanitation for everyone everywhere – is to be reached by 2030, in Liberia. WaterAid Liberia is urging the government to take action ahead of the UN’s High Level Political Forum in New York in July, where Goal 6 will come under review. Without water, decent sanitation and good hygiene, other Sustainable Development Goals, including those on gender equality, education, health, reducing inequalities and nutrition, cannot be achieved.

LMM Serves Group of 77 Free Medications

The Liberia Medical Mission (LMM) has served over one hundred disabled people free medications Thursday at the headquarters of the Group of 77 on Newport Street in Monrovia. According to the INSIGHT newspaper, the LMM intent of serving people with disability is to support humanity and wants to help put Liberia on path with other Countries around the World. The LMM is a medical institution based in the United States of America that give assistance to children and persons with disability.