Media Releases

Gbarnga, Liberia – The senior UN Envoy in Liberia, Ellen Margrethe Løj says the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), together with its international partners, remains steadfast in supporting the Liberia National Police (LNP) to be fully and independently capable of tackling law enforcement challenges in post-conflict Liberia. Decorating 120 officers of the Nigeria Formed Police Unit (FPU) with the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal in the Liberian central city of Gbarnga, she stressed that “effective law enforcement is necessary for Liberia to achieve a steady state of security and sustainable peace.”

Grand Kru County, Liberia – UN Deputy Envoy, Mr. Moustapha Soumaré says Liberia’s security services must earn the trust and respect of all Liberian citizens if the Liberian National Police (LNP) is to remain the vanguard of basic security for local communities. Mr. Soumaré made this statement when he handed-over a newly-constructed Police Headquarters and a barracks in Barclayville, Grand Kru County located in the remotest southeastern part of Liberia, to the LNP to enhance its activities. He also handed-over another Police barracks in Harper, Maryland County.

“I encourage the Liberia National Police both here in Barclayville, and throughout Liberia, to serve with professionalism, act without impunity and remain true to the fair and non-arbitrary application of the law,” asserted Mr. Soumaré who is also UNDP Resident Representative. More...

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) supported Liberia Fistula Project concluded a two-day workshop for 15 Liberian journalists on reporting about obstetric fistula. The journalists were from Bomi, Bong, Grand Gedeh, Montserrado and Nimba Counties.

The Liberia Fistula Project is managed by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The workshop, held on July 30 and 31, focused on methods of raising awareness on the main causes of obstetric fistula, key interventions of the Liberia Fistula Project, the role of the media in preventing fistula, and helping fistula victims access health care and other services in the country.

Monrovia, Liberia – UN Deputy Envoy Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu has extolled Rwandan police officers serving with the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for their high degree of professionalism and discipline during the discharge of their duties. These qualities, Ms. Mensa-Bonsu noted, have been useful in strengthening the capacity and skills of Liberia National Police (LNP). She made these remarks when she awarded UN peacekeeping medals to these UNMIL Rwandan police officers for their contribution to peace and stability in Liberia.

MONROVIA, Liberia: “In my village, people count a child’s age by the number of farms (annual harvests) their parents make. I am happy that my son has a birth certificate and is officially registered in the country’s record,” said Love Gibson, the mother of two-year old Jacob Jallah. Jacob was the first child to be registered and certified by the new decentralized birth registration and certification system of Liberia that was launched today at the John F. Kennedy Hospital in Monrovia.

Monrovia— The World Bank today signed a US$16 million grant for the Youth, Employment Skills (YES) project - with $6 million from the International Development Association (IDA) Crisis Response Window (CRW) and US$10 million grant from the Africa Catalytic Growth Fund.

Monrovia— The World Bank today signed a US$47million additional financing grant to the Government of Liberia for the Urban and Infrastructure Rehabilitation project. According to a World Bank release, the additional grant closes the financing gap required to fully fund the rehabilitation of the remainder of the Monrovia - Buchanan corridor.

The $47 million financing comes from two sources: $20 million is provided by the World Bank (through a specific Crisis Response Window set up to respond to the global financial crises), and $27 million from the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund (LRTF).

Sanniquellie, Liberia – UN Deputy Envoy Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu has joined Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to commission a modern prison constructed by the United Nations in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice in Sanniquellie, the provincial capital of Nimba. The project was executed by a local contractor under the supervision of UNOPS. President Johnson Sirleaf applauded the UN for a “job well done,” and hoped that the prison would “be a model that could be replicated around the country.”

The maximum security Sanniquellie Central Prison, built at the cost of US$350,000 through the UN Peace-Building Fund, replaces an old warehouse, which had for the past three years, served as a detention centre. The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) for the Rule of Law, Ms. Mensa-Bonsu, handed over the facility to the Liberian leader, assuring her of the UN’s continued support for Liberia’s recovery and development.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), on Monday 12 July, observed World Population Day under the theme: “Everyone Counts”.

World Population Day is celebrated annually on 11 July, to highlight population issues and their relation to development. Activities marking this year’s celebration in Liberia were focused on the 2008 National Population and Housing Census and its thematic areas of analysis. These included maternal and child mortality, gender, youth and adolescents, fertility and marriage patterns, migration and urbanization, population projections, education and literacy, labor force, and employment.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Nigerian Battalion (NIBATT22) have teamed up in providing a wide range of skills training, and supporting sustainable livelihoods projects for youth in Montserrado County, Liberia. The main objective is to enable youth to engage in self-employment projects.

UNDP and the soldiers from NIBATT22 have worked together in training 10 youth from Montserrado County in catering, tailoring and welding skills. UNDP has also assisted some of the youth who were trained as caterers to set up a Resort Centre at the Bomi Lake, and begin establishing a restaurant in Tubmanberg. The projects are funded by UNDP’s Community Based Recovery and Development (CBRD) Programme.

Monrovia (Liberia): The Government of Japan signed a grant agreement today with UNICEF for 772 million Japanese Yen (approx. USD8.5 million) to support the project on “Child-Friendly Schools Development through community empowerment in the Republic of Liberia.”

His Excellency Mr. Keiichi Katakami, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Liberia, Mr. Koichi Kito, the Senior Representative of JICA, and Ms. Isabel Crowley, UNICEF Representative of Liberia, exchanged notes and signed the grant agreement in the presence of H.E. Mr. Othello Gongar Honorable Minister for Education.

The event was witnessed by senior officials from the government and development agencies and media agencies in Liberia.

Monrovia, Liberia – UN Envoy Ellen Margrethe Løj has paid tribute to Philippine peacekeepers serving the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for their hard work and dedication to the maintenance of peace and stability in Liberia. She made this commendation when she awarded UN peacekeeping medals to 115 Philippine peacekeepers at a colorful ceremony in Monrovia.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) extolled the Government of the Philippines for its continued support to peace and security throughout the world, and specifically for contributing troops to serve with UNMIL.

MONTSERRADO COUNTY, Liberia-In an effort to reduce child mortality, UNICEF and its partners in Liberia are working with several community clinics to provide daily outpatient therapeutic feeding for children suffering from undernutrition in several Liberian counties.

Lorpu Sana, 24, and her daughter, Afie, 2, were waiting recently at one of these overcrowded clinics, located in a ‘rehabilitation community’ just outside the capital, Monrovia. A few weeks before, the little girl had been suffering from undernutrition. But now she is recovering, thanks to therapeutic feeding and medical care.

MONROVIA – The Liberia Repatriation Re-Integration and Resettlement Commission-LRRRC and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees-UNHCR Liberia will observe this year’s World Refugee Day at the VOA Football Field in Brewerville, Montserrado County under the Theme “They Took My Home, But They Can’t Take My Future”.

UNHCR Liberia in collaboration with LRRRC and other partners have designed a number of events for the observance of the day beginning with an Essay and Drawing Competition amongst refugee children at the Banjor, Samukai Town and VOA Camps outside Monrovia on Wednesday, June 16.

On Friday, June 11, 2010, UNICEF cheered the kick off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. A series of partnerships and programmes around the global football championship are set to provide children with the opportunity to learn about their world, and help harness the power of sport to promote children’s rights.

A programme called World Cup in My Village is to be piloted in two African countries by UNICEF, the Children’s Radio Foundation and other community partners. It will give young people who would otherwise not have the opportunity the chance to see World Cup football matches on large open-air screens and projectors. The special screens have been set-up in the Rubavu District in Rwanda, and in the town of Mongu and the UNHCR Refugee Camp of Mayukwayukwa in Zambia; places where there is no electricity or broadcast connection. In addition to the football, the screens will broadcast important information about children’s health and their rights.

By Michel Sidibe, UNAIDS Executive Director

As football fans from around the world arrive in South Africa to support their favourite team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we must not lose sight of one unwelcome guest—HIV.

Why should we talk about HIV during the World Cup?

Two reasons. First, a celebrated sporting event such as the World Cup can facilitate the spread of HIV through the combination of excitement, alcohol and unsafe sex. Second, almost 80 babies are born with HIV during the 90 minutes of a football match. This translates into 430 000 babies infected each year.

We have the means to stop this tragedy, we must act—today.

Football stars and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassadors Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo and Michael Ballack of Germany have joined forces with UNAIDS to launch a global campaign to prevent babies from becoming infected with HIV.

Monrovia – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Deputy Regional Representative for West Africa with oversight of Protection, Mr. Rufin Gilbert Loubaki, is undertaking a mission to Liberia from Wednesday June 02 to Monday June 07, 2010.

During his visit, Deputy Regional Representative Rufin Loubaki will meet with the Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) and Non-Governmental Organizations in Monrovia (Montserrado County) and Saclepea (Nimba County) to discuss issues relating to the protection of refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons and others in refugee-like status.

Monrovia, Liberia - Liberia’s Vice-President, His Excellency Joseph N. Boakai, today paid tribute to United Nations peacekeepers, including Liberian personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of peace in Haiti, Afghanistan, Liberia and other parts of the world.

“Our hearts ache as we commemorate those who have lost their lives while serving in UN peacekeeping missions around the world; whenever and wherever this is a loss of life, especially of people rendering sacrificial services to humanity, we feel a tremendous sense of loss and grief,” the Vice-President said. The recent earthquake in Haiti and the attack on UN peacekeepers in Afghanistan, he noted, hit really close to home. Vice-President Boakai made these remarks at a wreath-laying ceremony and memorial service commemorating the International Day of UN Peacekeepers held at the Headquarters of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and Monrovia City Hall respectively.

Senjeh District, Bomi County, Liberia—The United Nations in Liberia, through its County Support Team Joint Programme, officially handed over a newly constructed district administrative building located in Beajah, Senjeh District in Bomi County. This forms part of the UN and Government’s partnership in support of the consolidation and restoration of local authority and administrative functions at both the county and district levels.

The building valued at approximately One Hundred and Eighty Thousand United States Dollars ($180,000.00USD) forms part of construction of three district administrative buildings, as a pilot phase, in Senjeh- Bomi County, Compound No. 3 –Grand Bassa County and Gitroh in Sinoe County.

Monrovia. Seventy women from border communities and major market areas are meeting with the Government of Liberia (GoL) and United Nations to discuss issues that affect women involved in cross-border trade.

The conference, organized by the Liberian Ministries of Gender, Commerce and Industry, United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and GoL/United Nations Joint Programme on Gender Equality and Economic Empowerment, is being held in Monrovia between the 26th and 29th of May 2010.

The main objective of the ‘Women and Cross-Border Trade’ conference is to develop a structure through which women in cross border trade can be better protected and gain greater access to income-generating opportunities More...

Monrovia, Liberia- The United Nations County Support Team—a Government of Liberia and UN Joint Programme, recently concluded three regional Training of Trainers (TOTs) and pilot phase training workshops for local government leaders. The TOT initiative was aimed at training officials who would in turn roll-out trainings at county, district, clan and chieftaincy levels.

The workshops focused on leadership roles and competencies that would result in working toward positive change and participatory development in the lives of communities. Four key competencies Communicating, Using Power, Decision Making and Overseeing were discussed at this session. Further training will take place at the County, Districts, Chieftaincy and Clans levels.

MONROVIA, Liberia — The World Bank in conjunction with other Donors, the Central Bank of Liberia, GIABA*, SOCA*, and the Financial Intelligence Units of Malawi* and Namibia* held a workshop on “The Role and Function of a Financial Intelligence Unit” in Monrovia, May 19-20, 2010 to improve understanding of Government officials on the role of a Financial Intelligence Unit in the new national anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing (AML/CFT) system.

It is no news that organized criminal activities are increasing in West Africa and it is crucial that all countries take appropriate steps, implement international standards, and increase capacity to fight money laundering and terrorist financing. More...

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Rotary International, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and partners jointly organized a symbolic signing ceremony of the Kick Polio out of Africa Soccer Ball on Friday,7 May 2010 at the G.W. Gibson High School, Capitol Bypass, Monrovia. The Objective of the campaign was to raise awareness on the disease and encourage families to vaccinate their children against polio.

The colorful ceremony opened with cultural and musical performances by various Liberian artists and performers. Guests in attendance included the the Minister of Education, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, national and international partners, UN officials and students of the G. W. Gibson High School.

A six-month nationwide campaign that seeks to build public trust and confidence in the Liberia National Police (LNP), as well as raise awareness on the roles and responsibilities of citizens in ensuring and maintaining community safety and security, was launched in Liberia’s capital Monrovia on the 30th of April. The awareness and sensitization campaign led by the LNP is supported by the UN peace-building fund through the United Nations Development Programme in Liberia.

The campaign “THE POLICE: MY FRIEND, MY PARTNER, MY SECURITY,” focuses on building and enhancing the relationship between the LNP and communities across the country. More...

The United Nations Development Programme, through its Community Security and Social Cohesion Unit (CSSC), on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, conducted a historic groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a headquarters building for the Women and Child Protection Unit (WACPU) of the Liberia National Police. The US$550,000 construction project is to provide the specialized Unit with a fully equipped office complex.

The building is being constructed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The project is funded by the Government of Norway under its support to security sector reform initiative. So far, the Norwegian Government through UNDP has funded the construction of 11 County Police Headquarters with Women and Child Protection Units at different locations all over the country, allowing rural women and children easy access to protection and justice.

Twenty five survivors of obstetric fistula have graduated from a vocational training programme run by Liberia’s Ministry of Health and funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). They were trained in tie and dye cloth making, tailoring, pastry making and cosmetology. Vocational training is part of the four to six month reintegration process for women who have undergone successful reconstructive surgery under the programme. The graduation ceremony was held on Friday, April 16 in the Liberian capital, Monrovia.

Obstetric fistula is a medical condition which occurs in women and young girls as a result of complications during childbirth, or unskilled birth attendance. The condition can be treated by reconstructive surgery which costs between US$ 300 and US$ 400, but which is beyond the reach of many fistula survivors in Liberia.

Monrovia, LIBERIA – “Don’t cry baby. This will keep you healthy and strong,” Princess Togba tells her eight-month old daughter Agatha, as she receives two drops of the polio vaccine. Agatha joined hundreds of infants and young children at the Redemption Hospital in Monrovia on Friday, April 23, 2010 to kick start Liberia’s National Integrated Polio Measles vaccination campaign which runs from 23 to 29 April 2010, targeting 750,000 under-five children in the country.

More than 4,000 vaccinators, supervisors and community volunteers have been mobilized to reach under-five children in every part of the country with the polio and measles vaccine, as well as Vitamin A supplement and de-worming medicine. Mobile teams as well as fixed temporary vaccination sites have been set up for the campaign.

The United Nations Development Programme, through the Country Support Team (CST) Joint Programme, handed over one Toyota Land Cruiser and ten motorbikes to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs (MPEA) to support monitoring and reporting functions related to the national Poverty Reduction Strategy.

The vehicles are to be used for County Information Management and Monitoring (CIMM), one of the key programme components of the CST that strengthens sub-national capacity for independent monitoring and reporting of protection issues, Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and County Development Agenda (CDA).

Under the component, 15 monitoring and Evaluation Assistants (M&E) and 225 Field Monitors are deployed in all 15 Counties to help monitor progress throughout the country.

Monrovia, Liberia – The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Ellen Margrethe Løj has expressed optimism that Liberians are determined to thread the path towards reconciliation and consolidation of achievements already made in maintaining peace in Liberia. She made this assertion today when she awarded UN peacekeeping medals to 35 Staff Officers and 31 Military Observers from 28 different nations for their contributions to peace-consolidation and nation-building in Liberia.

UN Envoy Løj commended senior military officers of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) on the significant role they have played in creating a stable security environment in Liberia, thus, enabling a long-term solution for consolidated peace in Liberia.

Monrovia, Liberia – UN Envoy Ellen Margrethe Løj has assured Liberians that the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) is committed to maintaining a strategic partnership with the Liberian government and local authorities to preserve peace in the country. Ms Løj said this can only be achieved if Liberians emulate Ukraine’s example by determining Liberia’s future “in a peaceful and democratic manner”. The UN Envoy made these remarks today when she awarded UN peacekeeping medals to 273 peacekeepers of Ukraine 56th Aviation Unit serving with UNMIL.

Monrovia (Liberia), 30 March 2010: The Government of Liberia today launched the Regulations for the appropriate use and conditions of alternative care for children. “The regulations and the tools will facilitate deinstitutionalization of children and set a standard of care for children living in alternative care institutions and orphanages in Liberia,” explained Deputy Minister Joseph W. Geebro of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare during his keynote address.

There are more than 5000 children living in alternative care institutions in Liberia today. An assessment of alternative care institutions in 2008-2009 by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare found that 90 % of the orphanages had inadequate care services, poor quality of education, over-crowded sleeping quarters and lack of recreational facilities.

Monrovia: On Monday, 22 March 2010, Liberia joined the world today in celebrating the 8th World Water Day under the theme ‘Clean water for a Healthy World.’ Marking the occasion, the President of Liberia, H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is also the Goodwill Ambassador for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Africa, called on the nations of Africa and the world to redouble efforts and action to ensure safe and clean water for the present and future generations.

Liberia is still recovering from the 14-year civil war that destroyed much of the country’s water supply infrastructure. Water-borne diseases are the second leading causes of child mortality in the world.

By Rukshan Ratnam in Lofa County, Liberia.

Late afternoon sunlight slants through the forest canopy, and creates a soft golden glow in this remote village in a jungle, in Liberia’s Lofa County. A hand-cranked radio, precariously balanced on the wall of a mud and thatch hut, blares out music, interspersed with commentary by a presenter. Several children sit close to the outer wall, while a woman breastfeeds a young child in the shade of the thatch.

The children and woman are listening to a popular radio programme ‘Tha Children’s Business’, a weekly radio show on the UN Mission in Liberia’s UNMIL Radio, that provides a forum for parents to discuss children’s issues. Interspersed within the program are messages on human rights, and anti-rape and domestic violence.

Monrovia. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) presented several computers and 4 motorbikes to the Liberian Ministry of Justice, for use by the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The Deputy Minister for Corrections, Ms.Emma Wuor, received the items on behalf of the BCR, from Lakis Papastavrou, the Chief Technical Adviser and Head of Country Office for UNOPS.

Funding for the purchase of the computers and motorcycles was provided by the UN Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF).

“We are grateful for the UN’s assistance to the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The construction of prisons, provision of equipment and other assistance is fulfilling a great need and is helping support government efforts,” says Justice Minister Ms. Christiana Tarrr.

Monrovia, Liberia- On Monday, March 08, 2010, the United Nations in Liberia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and international and national partners celebrated International Women’s Day in Liberia, under this year’s theme, “Equal rights, equal opportunities: progress for all.”

Hundreds of women joined Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first and only female President and guest of honor for the day, the Minister of Gender, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General at the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), American Ambassador and others in celebrating the day.

By Adolphus Scott-UNICEF Liberia

Monrovia, Liberia– Children across Liberia, on March 7, celebrated this year’s International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB). All FM Radio Stations and 20 Community Radio Stations provided opportunity to the children to air their views and advocate on the issues that affect them.

"Kids you are coming on next right after this music," says Patrick Okai one of the radio producers at the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Radio. "Who’s doing the news update in this final segment? We need to wrap up guys we are at the end of this program."

MONROVIA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), through the Ministry of Agriculture, today turned over four semi-industrial rice milling machines to farmers’ cooperatives in Liberia at a ceremony in Gbedin, Nimba County. The donation was made within the framework of Purchase for Progress (P4P), a WFP initiative to purchase food locally for use in WFP feeding programmes.

“Through the donation of these rice mills, we hope to improve the efficiency of farmers’ groups in rice processing and increase their know-how in the use and management of appropriate technologies”, said WFP Representative Louis Imbleau. “This should boost their productive and technical capacities and fast-track their move toward self-sustainability.”

Monrovia Liberia– The Government of Liberia recently launched the report on A Situational Analysis of Human Trafficking, Especially Women and Children in Liberia.

The ceremony, officiated by Labour Minister Councillor Tiawan S. Gongloe, was attended by senior government officials, national and international partners.

The report asserts that human trafficking is prevalent in Liberia and provides valuable information on the scope and nature of trafficking in persons in Liberia. Although emphasis was hitherto placed on the trafficking of children,the report suggests that both adults and children are trafficked internally and trans-nationally.

“Here in Liberia, when we speak of human rights, it is always about adults and not children,” says Minister Gongloe. “This report is indeed a useful tool for the government and people of Liberia. More...

The UN has provided a range of vehicles and uniform material to the Liberian National Police (LNP) and the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation. On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, the United Nations Office for Project Services’ (UNOPS) Chief Technical Adviser and Head of its Country Office, Lakis Papastavrou, handed over a thirty-seater (30) bus and a pickup truck with security features to enable the Bureau to transport prisoners between prisons and courts. UNOPS also donated two fully equipped pickup trucks and fifty sets of uniforms, including boots, to the LNP.

The vehicles handed over to the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation will enable secure transport of prisoners from the Monrovia and Sannequellie Central Prisons to courts, while the pickup trucks will assist LNP in responding quickly to incidents.

A clearing on a hillock overlooking picturesque jungle in northeastern Liberia is a hive of activity, as dozens of workers with hammers and nails, buckets of cement and cement blocks set about constructing the first purpose-built prison in Sanniquellie, the capital city of Nimba County. Not far away, amidst stacks of cement blocks, high-tension steel rods and other construction material, two men are busy tending pots simmering with the mid‐day meal for workers. A hoarding with details of the project and implementing partners, towers over the men.

The prison complex project is a result of a joint initiative by the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the Ministry of Justice with an almost US$ 1 million grant provided by the UN Peacebuilding Fund (UN PBF). It is being constructed under a contract by the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS).

Monrovia, Liberia - UN Deputy Envoy Ms. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu has urged media practitioners in Liberia to roll out more information on gender-based violence to communities in the country’s outlying areas with greater zeal. “It is at the local level where they have a cardinal and direct bearing on influencing listeners to stop settling in their homes rape and other issues related to Sexual and Gender-based Violence,” she said. Ms. Mensa-Bonsu was speaking at a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the Association of Journalists against Sexual and Gender-based Violence - SGBV – on 12 February in Monrovia, under the theme: Together We Will Report Gender-Based Violence. More...

In addition to the vaccine against yellow fever, children between 12 months and five years of age received deworming treatment. Over 2,275 teams spread out across 78 districts to assist in the week-long campaign. All Liberians – except pregnant women and children under 9 months –were targeted to receive the vaccine. More...

Monrovia (Liberia): The Government of Japan signed a grant agreement with UNICEF today for 162 million Japanese Yen (approx. USD1.8 million) to support a project on “Infectious diseases prevention for children in the Republic of Liberia.” His Excellency Mr. Keiichi Katakami, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Liberia, the JICA Chief Representative to Liberia Mr. Kunihiro Yamauchi, and the UNICEF Representative of Liberia, Ms. Isabel Crowley, exchanged notes and signed the grant agreement in the presence of H.E. Mr. Tornolah Varpilah Honorable Deputy Minister for Health and Social Welfare. Senior officials from the government and development agencies were also present for the event.

Monrovia, Liberia: February 4, 2010: The Government of Liberia with support from the United Nations Capital Development Fund and the United Nations Development Programme has concluded a one day workshop on Local Development Fund guidelines for the effective utilization of the first tranche of U$ 300,000 being allocated to six counties as Local Development Fund.

The workshop was intended to educate six pilot counties in the country on the importance of financial management procedure, structure of the fund and Public Procurement methods that will enhance effective and efficient systems and procedures to make the Local Development Fund sustainable for the community.

Liberia, 15 January 2010 – Sixty young men and women are gathered today in Grand Cape Mount and Grand Bassa Counties to participate in a peace building and leadership skills training programme. The Ministry of Youth and Sports and Action Aid Liberia are organizing the two-week long training with support from UNICEF and the Peacebuilding Fund under the UN Joint Programme for Youth Empowerment and Employment.

The training programme is the beginning of a series of interventions of the pilot project on Youth Empowerment Services for Peace Building and Stability aimed at integrating young people into their communities and society by empowering them with skills to live a constructive and dignified life. It builds their resilience and reduces risks, particularly marginalisation and exclusion, through a human rights-based approach.

Monrovia, Liberia, January 13, 2010 The World Bank and the Government of Liberia have signed an agreement for the improvement of the Pleebo to Barclayville road linking two counties in Southeastern Liberia, Maryland and Grand Kru Counties. The project estimated at US$2,819,144.17 will cover Ninety Seven (79) kilometers of road and is part of funding provided by the World Bank through its Urban and Rural Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project Grant; (URIRP) and will be implemented by the Government of Liberia through the Infrastructure Implementation Unit at the Ministry of Public Works.

Monrovia, Liberia: The United Nations Development Programmes has donated a consignment of legal texts to the Ministry of Justice to be used by County Attorneys and prosecutors at the Ministry of Justice. The donation is part of UNDP’s support to strengthening the justice system in the Country and is intended to keep County Attorneys conversant with the Law when adjudicating cases brought before them. The consignment includes 15 sets of the Liberian Law report (LLR), Volume 1-27 and the Liberian Codes Revised, Volumes 1-IV.

Monrovia, Liberia - The United Nations launched its United Nations in Liberia ‘At Work Together’ website, during a media briefing held at the Pan African Plaza building today. The website was launched by Mr. Jordan Ryan, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Recovery and Governance, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Liberia.