By Augustine N. Myers – The Government of the Republic of Liberia has announced that it has decided to break diplomatic relations with Libya and to withdraw the Liberian Ambassador and diplomatic staff from the Libyan capital, Tripoli. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf A release from the Government of Liberia through its Foreign Affairs Ministry, also says it has suspended the operations of the Libyan People’s Bureau in Monrovia and terminated diplomatic status for its diplomats who remain loyal to Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi’s regime. According to the release, the Liberian Government took the decision after a careful review of the... Continue Reading
…..Refugees, Host Communities Renew Appeals for Urgent Intervention – By: Augustine N. Myers – Nimba County, Liberia’s second largest populated County is still facing a seriously water and sanitation problem, despite efforts by the Liberian government and WASH partners to address the issues of safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene. Nimba County with six political Districts, has a population of 462, 026 “according to a 2008/2009 report from the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo Information Services (LISGIS)”; a figure that has increased with the arrival of thousands of Ivorian refugees, most of whom are still residing in the... Continue Reading
June 12th, Tarifa, Spain – Photographers from South Africa and Kenya won prestigious awards at 4th Photoafrica contest, which took place within 8th African Film Festival of Tarifa. 1st place award, endowed with €1,500, won Jessica MacLeod from South Africa with the photograph titled “You see a shack, I see my house”.2nd place award, endowed with €1,000, won James Muriuki from Kenya with the photograph titled “44”. 3rd place award, endowed with €500, won the winner of 3rd Photoafrica Mimi Cherono from Kenya with the photograph titled “Khusi and the Giraffes”. “It was incredibly difficult to decide about winners, as... Continue Reading
BRAZZAVILLE, 8 June 2011 (IRIN) – By handing over 80,000 hectares of untilled land to a few dozen South African farmers, authorities in the Republic of Congo are confident they will greatly improve domestic agricultural expertise and reduce the country’s chronic dependence on food imports. “In terms of nutrition, we are in a constant state of need,” said Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Rigobert Maboundou. “This is why we are giving over these lands, to employ local labour and benefit from the South African expertise.” He said it was essential to surrender the farmland to those who could invest in... Continue Reading
DAKAR, 7 June 2011 (IRIN) – The post-election violence in Côte d’Ivoire delayed by several months a distribution of mosquito nets – a pillar of the country’s strategy to combat malaria, a leading killer of children. Some communities must wait even longer as hundreds of thousands of nets were looted during the unrest. This is just one example of how the recent conflict has disrupted health services, which were already fragile after nine years of a north-south split. “This sets us back in our malaria prevention efforts. We were supposed to have done this distribution in December,” said San Koffi... Continue Reading
