25 September 2017

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

UN Reaffirms Commitment to Democracy in Liberia, Source: Realnews Magazine

The United Nations is providing Liberia with important support to ensure credible and successful presidential and legislative elections in October, towards the consolidation of democracy in the country and the ECOWAS region, Farid Zarif, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has affirmed.

Receiving a team of ECOWAS Long-term Election Observers and the ECOWAS Special Representative to Liberia, Ambassador Babatunde Ajisomo, at UNMIL Headquarters on Friday, Mr. Zarif said the technical and logistical support included the provision of 148 trucks to the National Electoral Commission for the movement of electoral personnel and materials. UNMIL will also assist with the airlift of sensitive materials to mitigate the challenge of inaccessible roads to the hinterland.

According to the UN diplomat, UNDP is also coordinating international donor support for Liberia through mobilization of a basket fund. Mr. Zarif commended ECOWAS for its continued support to Liberia and for “paving the way for others to follow in the establishment of best practices in democratic governance.”

Presidential ballot papers arrive, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and The New Dawn

The National Elections Commission (NEC) says presidential ballot papers from  Slovenia have arrived in Liberia. In a press release issued Sunday, NEC chairman Cllr. Jerome Korkoya said the ballot papers arrived Saturday, 23 September at the Roberts International Airport in Margibi County on board a chartered Egypt cargo aircraft.

Chairman Korkoya says the distribution of the presidential ballot papers to all 5390 polling places throughout the country will begin next week. According to the NEC boss, representative ballot papers will arrive in the country from Ghana on or before 28 September. 

He says the Liberia National Police had deployed armed officers at the airport to provide maximum protection during the arrival of the ballot papers. The armed police also escorted the ballot papers to the NEC Headquarters in Monrovia. To keep the commitment of openness, the NEC notes that the media was represented at the arrival, offloading, and movement of the ballot papers from the aircraft and out of the airport.

‘Don’t Provoke Political Violence’ …Weah Cautions CDCians; Commits To One China Policy, Source: The NEWS

Presidential candidate George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has cautioned partisans and supporters of the party to refrain from acts that could provoke political violence during the ongoing campaign period in the country. Addressing a news conference over the weekend, Senator Weah said he is not in support of any act that has the propensity to undermine the peaceful conduct of the upcoming presidential and representative elections in October. The CDC presidential candidate also condemned recent ferocious clashes in Nimba and Montserrado Counties that involved individuals believed to be supporters of the CDC, Liberty Party, and the ruling Unity party.

 

Fendell Residents Affected by Demolition to Boycott Elections Over Claims, Source: FrontPage Africa

Hundreds of Fendell residents whose homes were demolished in 2015 on orders of the administration of the University of Liberia Saturday staged a peaceful protest with placards before the main entrance of the state-run university. Saturday’s peaceful protest was staged at the time when the Liberia Media for Democratic Initiative was having its third presidential debates. The affected Fendell residents accused President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf-led government of neglect and doing nothing to address their plights. According to them, they’ve decided to stage the peaceful protest at the site of the debates to claim the attention of the presidential candidates.

President Sirleaf Calls on Liberians to Maintain Peace After Tenure, Source: FrontPage Africa

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has admonished Liberians to maintain the peace which, according to her, is the underpinning of everything her government achieved. Speaking to the BBC over the weekend, President Sirleaf said if she had one message for Liberians it will be “maintain the peace, we cannot go back to conflict. Our country was set back over 30 years because of conflict. The underpinning of everything we have done is the peace that we’ve secured and that was not easy.” According to the president, it took a lot sacrifice, compromises, managing, and tolerance to keep the peace in Liberia.

President Sirleaf lauds Congressional Black Caucus for Supporting Liberia’s Peace, Progress, Source: Executive Mansion News

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has lauded the United States Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) for being at the forefront of advocating for Liberia from years of conflict to the present era of peace and development. According to a dispatch from Washington, President Sirleaf made the commendation on Friday when she spoke at the 2017 Africa Braintrust hosted by the CBC; a prominent organization made of mostly African-American members of the United States Congress.

The Liberian leader recalled that the progress achieved throughout her tenure by the government and the Liberian people would not have been possible without the generous support of the CBC and many friends of Liberia on Capitol Hill in Washington and beyond.

EU Describes 2017 Elections As Crucial for Democracy in Liberia, Source: FrontPage Africa

The head of EU Election Observation Mission to Liberia says the upcoming elections in October are a crucial test for the democratic process in Liberia. According to Ms. Maria Arena, a peaceful transition from one elected president to another is important not only for Liberia but also as an example for the region. She made the statement last Friday during a press conference held in Monrovia.

EU Prepares To Work With New Government …Refutes Media Report, Source: The NEWS

 

The EU has reacted to a news story published in the 21 September edition of the New Democrat. The paper reported that the EU is concerned about Liberia’s future if the Coalition for Democratic Change wins the upcoming presidential elections. But in a press statement issued over the weekend, the EU Delegation to Liberia said it does not hold the views attributed to it in the paper. “It is for the people of Liberia to decide which parties and individuals they want as their political leaders and they will do so when they cast their votes on 10 October,” the statement said.

The EU Delegation then welcomes the fact that the electoral process has so far been peaceful and hopes that all parties and stakeholders will continue to act in a responsible manner and in accordance with the democratic process. The EU said it has made a long-term commitment to Liberia and looks forward to working with the next democratically elected President, whoever that may be.

“I Will End Corruption In Liberia” – LP Standard Bearer Brumskine, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Liberty Party presidential candidate Cllr. Charles Brumskine has promised, if he is elected president, to end corruption. Speaking to the citizens of Nimba in Ganta on Friday during his campaign rally, Cllr. Brumskine vowed to cut the salaries of his top government officials including his vice president. “I will end corruption and bring the money back to you people for development,” he said.

Presidential Candidate Abandoned …Party Withdraws Support, Source: The NEWS

 

With less than three weeks to the upcoming elections in October, presidential candidate Dr. Isaac Wiles of the Democratic Justice Party (DJP) has been abandoned by his party. In a resolution over the weekend, DJP National Executive Council (NEC) said prior to Dr. Wiles and his running-mate endorsement, they agreed that before the end of the second week of September, they would empower, promote, and facilitate the campaign on the platform of the party throughout Liberia; provide fully furnished offices; provide materials, transport logistics, financial and administrative support, among others. But the pair ingeniously and intentionally failed to live up to their commitment, the NEC said.

Representative candidate laments poor leadership, Source: The New Dawn

Montserrado County Electoral District #4 representative candidate Dr. John Flomo says Liberians are suffering today due to the lack of good leadership. Launching his campaign at Bernard Farm in Wein Community, Paynesville, Dr. Flomo claimed that the past six years the district has not experienced good leadership, resulting to its under development. He accused the incumbent of allegedly running the district without accountability, and abandoning the district council. According to Flomo, the district needs a leader who can think, has a good heart, caring, loving, and has a moral authority.

Senator Morias campaigns for Vice President Boakai, Source: The New Dawn

Maryland County Senator H. Dan Morias has launched SOS call for citizens in his county to elect Vice President Joseph Boakai as Liberia’s next president. Addressing cross-section of citizens in Harper City recently, Senator Morias says the Unity Party presidential candidate has all that is required for the presidency and is the only person that can continue and complete the developmental agenda of the governing party. Morias, a member of the National Patriotic Party (NPP), pledged his support for Boakai’s presidential bid after the NPP formed a merger with the Congress for Democratic Change and the Liberia People Democratic Party.

 

Police warn political leaders, Source: The New Dawn

 

The Liberia National Police (LNP) is warning all political leaders to begin talking to their partisans to desist from all violent habits while insisting that it will investigate and prosecute everyone culpable of electoral violence. “We will not encourage them, we will not tolerate them. We are going to investigate every one of them, and then whoever is found guilty is going to be prosecuted,” Deputy Police Inspector General for Administration Sadatu Reeves said Friday at the National Police Training Academy in Paynesville.

 

Following reported electoral violence between two opposition parties as well as the ruling Unity Party, deputy IG Reeves warns that the LNP will not overlook any such incidents.

 

Rival Campaign Violence Leaves Dozens Wounded, Properties Damaged on Both Sides, Source: Daily OBSERVER

 

The Daily Observer reports that several persons last Thursday sustained injuries at the launch of the official campaign rally of Montserrado Electoral District #3 Unity Party candidate, Ceebee Barshell. The event, which started on a good note, ended bloody as incumbent Representative Bill Twehway allegedly led his supporters towards Barshell’s office with another rally, thereby leading to an unfavorable situation that saw both supporters of the opposing sides to sustain injuries as a result of stone throwing. Barshell said the situation was an unfortunate one on grounds that Twehway’s desperation to maintain the district’s legislative power is leading him to lots of unpleasant acts.

 

Governments of Liberia and Armenia Establish Diplomatic Relations, Sources: FrontPage Africa and The NEWS

 

Liberia and Armenia have established diplomatic relations. According to a dispatch from New York, the Protocol was signed Friday on the margins of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly currently taking place in New York.  Liberia’s foreign minister, Marjon Kamara and her Armenian counterpart, Edward Nalbandian, signed for their respective governments. The two countries have agreed to promote mutual understanding and strengthen friendship and cooperation between them.

 

 

 

EXIM Bank Commits To Funding Economically Viable Projects in Liberia, Source: FrontPage Africa

 

The Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM Bank) has reaffirmed its commitment to the economic development of Liberia but places “high attention” to projects that are economically viable for the West African nation. The bank’s cooperation with African countries focuses on solving problems by initiating projects that are sustainable for development, said Yuan Xingyong, EXIM Bank vice president.

 

The bank is currently funding a USD50 million loan for the modernization of Liberia’s Roberts International Airport - an “on course infrastructure project” regarded as a “symbol of friendship” between China and Liberia. “We also believe that the project will be a new landmark for Liberia and will also be the symbol of friendship between China and Liberia,” said Zhang Shou, the bank’s deputy general manager for concessional loan at a press conference in Beijing on Friday.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

 

Liberia elections: Ballot papers arrive in Monrovia, Source: Africa News

 

Ballot papers for the Liberia 2017 elections arrived on Saturday night in Monrovia, the capital. They were offloaded off an Egyptian carrier under tight security at the Roberts International Airport before being taken to the National Elections Commission (NEC) head office. The three million copies are only for the presidential vote, and more are expected by September 28.

 

Liberian NEC says by the end of the month, ballot papers for the House of Representatives will have arrived as well. “I feel great that we are on course and this is for the presidential race and the representative will arrive by the 28, but we will start distribution of the presidential before the 28th.” NEC chairman, Cllr. Jerome Korkoya, added that the boxes will be highly protected until October 10 when Liberians take to the polls.

 

Sirleaf tells Liberians: 'Maintain the peace, we cannot go back to conflict', Source: Africa News

 

Outgoing Liberian president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, says Liberians are duty bound to maintain and consolidate the peace they have enjoyed over the last decade.

 

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, the 78-year-old, who is sub-Saharan Africa’s first female president, stressed that the west African country cannot go back to conflict. She said conflict had set them three decades back and that it was in the interest of Liberians to remain peaceful.

 

Asked about her topmost message to her fellow citizens, she responded: “Maintain the peace, we cannot go back to conflict. Our country was set back over 30 years because of conflict. The underpinnings of everything we have done is the peace that we have secured and that was not easy.

 

 

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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