17 October 2017

 

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

For presidential run-off: Horse-trading begins, Sources: Daily Mail Online, INSIGHT, NFL News, News Africa, Nigerian News Headlines Today, Punch, and Royal Heads

Liberian parties began internal talks on Monday on whether to back former international footballer, Senator George Weah or incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai in a runoff for the presidency.

Senator Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) obtained 39.0 percent and Vice President Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP) 29.1 percent of votes cast on Tuesday, 10 October with 95.6 percent of polling stations counted, triggering a second round to be held on November 7.

But three other candidates took a significant share of votes. Veteran opposition leader Charles Brumskine of the Liberty Party (LP) picked up 9.8 percent, former Coca-Cola executive Alexander Cummings of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) 7.1 percent and former-warlord-turned-preacher Senator Prince Johnson of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) 7.0 percent.

The runners-up will now decide which contender they will direct their supporters to follow — a position that gives them significant sway over the outcome.

Cummings’ ANC and Johnson’s MDR declined to say who they will back. “The political decision will be made by my party as to which way we’ll go. Not now,” Senator Johnson told AFP outside his church on Sunday. “I will be convening a meeting on Wednesday perhaps to invite all opposition parties to accept whatever results will come for the sake of our country,” he added.

The chairman of Brumskine’s LP said they would not back any candidate and were calling for a re-run of the vote, despite the election being hailed as free and fair by domestic and international observers. “Due to the considerable irregularities and fraud that we have discovered, and in order for there to be valid results, the election must be conducted again — this time with transparency,” Benjamin Sanvee said in a statement sent to AFP.

Where’re the crowds? –MOVEE Vice Chairman Wonders, Source: The New Dawn

The national vice chairman for administration for the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) is questioning political parties that pulled crowd during the political campaign period here ahead of Elections Day on October 10 to prove whether those were loyal and genuine crowds. Mr. Dan Saryee notes that Liberian politics especially, campaign exercises, have been reduced to crowd-pulling in the streets of Monrovia and other parts of the country as though those self-proclaim followers seen in the streets during rallies are actually sincere to demonstrate their loyalty at the ballot box.

During the campaign period, the governing Unity Party (UP), the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and the Liberty Party (LP) trooped hundreds of thousands of Liberians in the streets, believed to be their supporters, partisans, followers, and sympathizers but results coming from the polls proved otherwise except for the ruling UP and the main opposition CDC based on National Elections Commission’s results that are set to make it to the presidential run-off next month. Read more

INCHR Applauds Peaceful Conduct of October Polls –Calls it “victory for all”, Source: INSIGHT

The Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) has commended all actors for their respective roles played during the peaceful and mature conduct of the just-ended presidential and legislative elections on 10 October.

The INCHR, in a release issued in Monrovia, called on security forces, the National Elections Commission (NEC), political parties, independent candidates, and eligible voters and the government and people of Liberia to take pride in the historic victory won. The general peaceful conduct of the elections is a victory that should be maintained for the sake of nation-building.

The INCHR also extended its arms of appreciation to all national and international observers who joined to devotedly follow the process. “The presence of the Election Coordinating Committee, Liberia Council of Churches, UNMIL, ECOWAS, African Union, European Union, and Women’s Situation Room among others lent the process the needed credibility,” the release said.

Additionally, the INCHR is cautioning political parties, independent candidates and the general public against the pronouncement of unofficial results. 

Ellen relaxes regulatory mandates, Source: The New Dawn

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Monday issued Executive Order No. 89 instituting policy measures to stimulate economic growth by reducing administrative and business process requirements on concessionaires, small, medium-sized businesses, and manufacturers.

The Executive Order says potential investors have curtailed or canceled planned investments throughout the economy, adding that this period of protracted economic downturn and the period of transition combine to produce consequences which further excite expectations that the current situation will indefinitely persist.

The presidency recognizes a protracted downturn that the Liberian economy has experienced in activities and slow growth driven by the continuous and persistent declines in the prices of and demands for Liberia’s primary exports. The country’s primary exports include rubber, iron ore and timber. Read more

Researchers make report on GBV, Source: The New Dawn

A lead researcher, Solomon Paye, and a lecturer at the University of Liberia, Darkie Fasu Mulbah, have concluded a research on Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Grand Bassa, Margibi, and Montserrado counties to find out causes of violence among men, women, and children at home and communities and to sensitize them of the effect of GVB. The research was funded by UNESCO Liberia in collaboration with the Education Ministry under the topic: “The impact of gender-based violence”. According to Mr. Paye, the research targeted at least three communities in each county. Read more

Attract young people to agriculture –AfDB Urges Continent’s Leaders, Source: The New Dawn

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has stressed the need for African leaders to attract its young population to agriculture and agribusiness. In a release issued on the commemoration of the 2017 World Food Day, the AfDB said the agriculture sector can potentially create wealth and employment for African youth, thereby stemming migration.

World Food Day is celebrated yearly on 16 October to promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all. This year’s theme focuses on the need to ‘Change the future of migration; Invest in food security and rural development’. Read more

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Finn Church Aid shuts down its Liberia and Sierra Leone country programmes, Source: Relief Web

Finn Church Aid (FCA) has decided to shut down its country programmes in Liberia and Sierra Leone by the end of 2017. Involvement in Liberia led to the founding of the Women’s Bank volunteer network which currently has thousands of volunteers.

“It is always difficult to make a decision like this. Over the past year, we have worked hard to find new donors in both Liberia and Sierra Leone, but have not been adequately successful. However, it’s great that the work will continue by a local civil society organization”, says Jouni Hemberg, FCA’s Executive Director.

Finn Church Aid has operated in both West African countries for ten years. Involvement began with rebuilding efforts after over a decade of civil war and included training on farming methods and provision of psychosocial support and education to former child soldiers, particularly girls.

“After ten years, our work is now picked up by locals. The Liberian staff members of our country office are founding a new, Liberian organization to continue the work that FCA has done, and this is exactly how it should go”, Hemberg says.

The decision was affected in part by Finnish foreign ministry’s cuts on development funding but also FCA’s shifted focus on the most fragile countries of the world, which Liberia and Sierra Leone no longer are.

“At the moment we are discussing the closure of our programmes with beneficiaries and local partners and planning how we could best support them to ensure that the work remains on a sustainable foundation”, says Marjo Mäenpää, Desk Officer for West and Central Africa. Read more

Disclaimer
 

This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIL on the understanding that the choice of articles included is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIL.

 

 

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