15 November 2017

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

EU Calls for Swift End to Political Standoff, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, FrontPage Africa, and The NEWS

The European Union (EU) and its member countries have joined the field of jittery stakeholders frantically seeking an expeditious path out of the potentially volatile political contention, to a smooth democratic transition for Liberia’s stability and economic growth.

Liberia’s international partners, including the African Union Liaison Office (AULOL), the Office of the ECOWAS Commission as well as the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), last Monday expressed weariness of the situation if it is not resolved soon, which could affect the much anticipated smooth transition process that should be the first in over seven decades.

In a joint statement in Monrovia, the three organizations called for calm, stressed that the legal path is the best way to go. They also called for the expeditious adjudication of the ongoing election disputes.

But as concerns about the future of the country continue to pour in from many quarters during the prolonged impasse, the EU in a press statement said the constituted time for the transition must be adhered to. The statement was issued jointly by the EU Delegation to Liberia and the Embassies of EU Member States present in Liberia (France, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom.) Read more

Electoral case worries Senate, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and The New Dawn

The media reports that the ongoing legal battle between the opposition Liberty Party (LP) and co-complainants, and the National Elections Commission (NEC) has led the Senate to converge at a local hotel in Harbel, Margibi County to brainstorm on how national security and the rule of law could be maintained despite the political rigmarole.

Speaking to The New Dawn Tuesday, the Senate President Pro-Tempore, Armah Jallah says the legal battle currently ongoing at the NEC involving the opposition LP and the ruling Unity Party (UP) on one hand, and the NEC board of commissioners is worrisome and needs urgent attention. Senator Jallah says the Senate is keenly observing and praying that the matter would be resolved as soon as possible in order to avoid a constitutional crisis.

According to him, the Senate is dedicated to the process of upholding the sanctity of the state and therefore, anticipates that the electoral exercise can end on a smooth note to ensure a peaceful transition of political power to another elected administration. Read more

NEC Lawyer Accuses UP of “Holding Liberia Hostage”, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The lead lawyer of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Frank Musa Dean, has accused the ruling Unity Party (UP) of having sinister motives as they proceed with the ongoing alleged electoral irregularities and fraud case. Cllr. Dean said the governing UP, who has submitted the names of 16 persons to testify on their behalf, is still requesting for additional names, which he thinks could cause unnecessary delays.

“Liberty Party rested with their arguments after producing witnesses in two days, but UP, the intervener who bypassed the election law to complain or intervene, is now holding the country hostage. They have evil motives and their objectives, if granted, will throw this country into chaos,” the NEC lawyer claimed.

UP, which is the intervening party in the Liberty Party (LP) case, has taken center stage and demanding more pieces of evidence whenever the hearing resumes. The Supreme Court recently mandated the NEC to expeditiously adjudicate all cases arising from the October polls, and that in case any party is not satisfied with the ruling from the NEC hearing officer or the Board of Commissioners an appeal may be taken to the high court. Read more

NEC submits used ballots, sample ballots, Source: The New Dawn

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has submitted a flash drive that it says contains used ballots and sample ballots (Know Your Candidate Posters) to the hearing officer at the ongoing elections fraud and irregularities hearing at the NEC based on a request by the ruling Unity Party (UP).

NEC executive director Lamin Lighe in his presentation took the time to explain the serial number issue which has been one of the major contentions raised by the aggrieved political parties. Mr. Lighe said each ballot paper has a serial number which is attached to the ballot stock, so once the ballot paper is detached from the ballot booklet, the serial number remains on the stock to protect the voters’ secrecy as required by the constitution.

The NEC executive director argues that this is a universal best practice because if the serial number remains on the detachable part of the ballot the presiding officer would know the serial number if he or she issues a ballot paper. He further says if counting is being done, the officer can identify that ballot paper and know who that person voted for in contravention of the constitution. Read more

President Sirleaf Urges African Women to Consolidate, Source: Executive Mansion News

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called on women in Africa to continue to take bold steps, imbue themselves with determination and self-confidence if they are to consolidate and expand the gains made in various spheres of leadership.

According to a dispatch from Accra, Ghana, President Sirleaf sounded the clarion call when she delivered special remarks at the launch of the Gender and Development Initiative in Africa (GADI) on Tuesday in Accra.

The Liberian leader said there have been numerous strides in women empowerment over the past decades but cautioned that more must be done to achieve gender parity in political and economic leadership. She said although women should partner with men in promoting women to ascend to all areas of leadership, the core responsibility rests with women themselves. Read more

“Attack on Justice Yuoh was Calculated,” Judge Dixon Says, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge Blamo Dixon on Monday claimed that the attack on the home of Associate Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh was a calculated attempt by her attackers. Judge Dixon’s allegation contradicts an earlier statement by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gregory Coleman dispelling rumors that the attack was politically motivated. Justice Yuoh’s residence was reportedly attacked on November 5 by some unknown persons leaving several properties destroyed.

In his remarks at the opening of the November 2017 Term of Criminal Courts A, B, C, and D, the Criminal Court ‘C’ judge described the incident as a “calculated attempt.” Dixon maintained “We judges join the Supreme Court to categorically condemn in the harshest possible terms the unprovoked, unwarranted, unprecedented and cowardice attack on the residence of Justice Yuoh.” Read more

‘White Attempts To Subvert Liberia’s Peace’ …Free Thinker Alleges, Source: The NEWS

The Free Conscious Independent and Objective Thinkers of Liberia has described as shameful and wicked, attempt by Mr. Alan White, an international war crimes investigator, to insinuate that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf supports the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) because Senator George Weah made a promise to protect her son, Robert Sirleaf from prosecution.

The group in a release said while it is yet to understand the authenticity of Mr. White’s assertion, it remains a fact that Mr. Sirleaf served as board chairman of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and there has been no empirical evidence through an audit both local and international that points to any malfeasance to include corruption, while at NOCAL.

“In the wake of the unprofessional conduct exhibited by Mr. Alan White, in his capacity as an internationally acclaimed war crimes investigator, coupled with its accompanying damaging effect on President Sirleaf and a sitting Senator of Montserrado County George Weah, who is also the standard bearer of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), the Free Conscious Independent and Objective Thinkers of Liberia is calling for an international litigation against Mr. Alan White for attempting to subvert the peace and tranquility of Liberia through the spread of misinformation,” the group said. Read more

IMF Executive Board Reviews Liberia’s Economic Performance -Approves USD20.7M, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the seventh and eighth final reviews of Liberia’s economic performance under the program supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement.

Completion of these reviews enables the immediate disbursement of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) 14.764 million (about USD20.7 million). This brings total disbursements under the arrangement to SDR 111.664 million, which is about USD156.7 million, the IMF said. The SDR is an international reserve asset, created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement its member countries’ official reserves.

It may be recalled that the ECF arrangement for Liberia was approved by the Board on November 19, 2012 for SDR 51.68 million (about USD69.3 million or 40 percent of quota as of that date). In September 2014, as part of the response in the fight against Ebola, the Board approved an augmentation of access of SDR 32.3 million (about USD43.3 million or 25 percent of quota as of that date) under the ECF arrangement for Liberia.

Following the Board’s discussion on Liberia, Mr. Tao Zhang, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair issued the following statement: “Liberia’s economic recovery has suffered some delay due to the lingering effects of the Ebola epidemic, low global commodity prices, and the impact of the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission. Read more

Australian-based Liberian voices support for Weah, Source: The New Dawn

The president of Queensland African Community in Australia, Ambassador Bobby Whitefield says a Liberian Community of over 10,000 population in Australia is overwhelmingly supporting the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) presidential candidate, Senator George Weah. Ambassador Whitefield, also a board member of the Federation of Liberian Community in Australia (FLCA) made the disclosure over the weekend when he visited the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinion (CEIO) on Carey Street in Central Monrovia.

According to him, the Australian-based Liberian Association has met with key members of the Australian Parliament, where favorable discussions were held to render the CDC-led administration the needed assistance aimed at buttressing the party’s efforts to deliver on its platform to the Liberian people. Read more

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

ECOWAS, AU and UNMIL Worried Over Timeline for Democratic Transition, Source: The Bush Chicken

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have expressed deep concern over the timeline for the country’s democratic transition, amid the current political situation.

Results of the October 10 elections have since been announced, declaring no winner for the presidential race. Senator George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change and Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party won more votes than the rest of the 18 candidates. They were qualified to participate in a runoff election on November 7. The polls, however, did not take place because of a writ of prohibition ordered by the Supreme Court.

Liberty Party, which took a distant third place position in the first round of the elections, petitioned the court for the prohibition.

The party had filed a complaint to the National Elections Commission alleging that the elections were marked by fraud and gross irregularities. The Supreme Court ordered NEC to hold off on a runoff election until it can investigate Liberty Party’s complaint.

In a joint statement on Friday, the ECOWAS Commission in Liberia, the A.U.’s liaison officer, and UNMIL said, while they all support and encourage the channel of due process followed by the aggrieved parties, NEC, and the Supreme Court, they are concerned over the prospects of a significant delay in bringing the litigations to their closure. Read more

International pressure ramps up over Liberia election delay, Sources: AFP and New Vision

The European Union on Tuesday joined an international chorus urging Liberian political parties and its electoral commission to end "unnecessary delays" and elect a new president. A second round of voting to choose a successor to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was suspended indefinitely by the Supreme Court on October 31 pending the resolution of a fraud complaint lodged with the electoral commission.

Charles Brumskine, the Liberty Party candidate who came third in the first round of voting on October 10, filed the complaint but was soon backed by the ruling Unity Party's candidate, Vice-President Joseph Boakai, who placed second.

The European Union delegation to Liberia, in a statement, said it would "encourage all concerned to work constructively and in good faith to conclude the current complaints process without unnecessary delay." Read more

UNWTO to Boost Liberia’s Tourism Sector, Sources: All Africa and Travel Wire News

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has expressed commitment to boosting Liberia’s Road -Map to become a prime tourism destination.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, intimated that Liberia has always had a special relationship with the World Tourism Organization, and stressed that Liberia represents a ‘Story of Pride’ on the African continent.

He spoke in London when he received Liberia’s five-year Tourism Trade Strategy and Plan of Action presented by Information Minister Eugene Nagbe. Rifai laid out an exhaustive and collaborative approach that positions the WTO at the heart of Liberia’s efforts toward attracting international visitors to its pristine beaches, historical and cultural sites along with its huge Eco-Tourism possibility.

The UNWTO Chief Scribe also suggested that Liberia’s approach must be focused on a particular area within its rich tourism sector. He assured of the WTO commitment in providing technical and financial collaboration in its quest to move to the nerve center of a global tourism attraction; promising to rationalize Liberia’s financial obligation to the World Tourism body. 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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