Quarterly Newsletter

Issue 12 April-June 2017

In This Issue 1. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway Visits Liberia

2. Setting the Stage for Peaceful Co-existence in Concession Communities

3. Multi-stakeholders’ Platform Members Commit to peace in Concession Communities

4. Police and Immigration Get Patrol Boats and other equipment from Japan/UNDP

5. UNDP/Japan Regional Project Convenes Coordination Meeting In Liberia

6. UNDP Country Director Stresses "Honesty" Among Procurement Officers

7. Maintaining a Memorial…Human Rights Commission holds town hall meeting

8. UNDP Liberia Staff Identifies with a Public School in Grand Bassa County during Retreat

UNDP Liberia News Board

UNDP Goodwill

Ambassador Prince Haakon

of Norway Visits Liberia

United Nations Development Programme

(UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador His Royal

Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway

paid a three-day visit to Liberia to see first-

hand the country’s progress in consolidating

peace, and in planning for and implementing

the globally-agreed Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs).

Crown Prince Haakon is an advocate for

UNDP’s efforts to assist Member States

achieve SDG 1- to end poverty in all its

forms everywhere.

During his time in Liberia, Crowned Prince

Haakon discussed his impressions of the

country’s progress, and the transition to the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The

two leaders also discussed the final

drawdown and withdrawal of the UN

peacekeeping mission in Liberia (UNMIL)

and the role UN agencies and partners can

play in supporting Liberians to consolidate

peace and move the development agenda

forward.

At a public lecture at the University of

Liberia’s Fendall Campus in the capital

Monrovia, the UNDP Goodwill Ambassador

called on the country’s youth to get actively

involved in ensuring that Liberia tackles

poverty and

inequality, and

remains on an

irreversible path of

peace and

sustainable

development.

“Without young

people, we will not

meet the SDGs.

Each and every one

of you can play a

role in moving

Liberia forward.

Think about all

Liberians and

support a peaceful

process when you

vote this October”

Crown Prince

Haakon said.

The UNDP

Goodwill Ambassador also met with young

people. At the I-Campus, Crown Prince

Haakon officially launched the nomination

process for the 2017 edition of Integrity

Idols, a citizen-led initiative to recognize

and celebrate honest and accountable public

servants.

PG-1

Prince Haakon Interacts with Ebola Orphans in Caldwell Montserrado

County

Prince Haakon also heard from women

leaders gathered at Monrovia’s Fish Market,

the epicenter of Liberia’s peace movement;

and from young entrepreneurs at the Liberia

Market Place who are promoting Liberia-

made goods.

The Goodwill Ambassador also visited with

Ebola survivors, orphans and response

workers; the Pink Panthers female

motorcyclists focused on women’s

empowerment; and high school students at

the D Tweh Memorial School in New Kru

Town that is at significant risk of destruction

from coastal erosion.

Outside Monrovia, the Crown Prince also

visited the recently recommissioned

Mount Coffee hydro power station which

is supported by the Government of

Norway and other partners. The power

station is now generating clean and

renewable energy for the first time in more

than 25 years following extensive

rehabilitation works that started in 2014.

-30-

Setting the stage for

peaceful coexistence in

Concession Communities

Affected Communities in concession areas

have resolved to maintain a peaceful and

harmonious relationship with concession

companies operating within their Counties.

Representatives from project affected areas

in Sinoe, Grand Cape Mount, Maryland and

Nimba Counties made the resolution during

series of peace building and conflict

resolution trainings organized in the

respective counties under the Assessed

Funding Project.

The Project is being implemented by the

United Nations Development Programme

with funding from the United Nations

Mission in Liberia in partnership with the

National Bureau of Concession (NBC). It is

a peace-building and community cohesion

project in four land conflict-prone

concession sites around Liberia to include

Sinoe, Maryland, Grand Cape Mount and

Nimba Counties.

The workshops were part of Strengthening

National Reconciliation through Improved

Understanding of Conflict Drivers in

Concession Areas and the Establishment of

Multi-Stakeholder Platforms.

Over 90 beneficiaries were drawn from over

27 Project Affected Communities (PACs),

the Elder and traditional Councils, Civil

Society, Women in Peacebuilding Network

(WIPNET) and other local peace structures

in the four counties, formed part of the

trainings.

“Carrying out violence and talking behind

one another will not solve the problem” says

Celeste Toby of Butaw Sinoe County.

Participant Celeste Toby presenting on behalf of her group

during the training in Sinoe County

PG-2

Madame Toby noted that the training will

help them serve as Peace Ambassadors, in

restoring calm among their people.

“The workshop has broaden my knowledge

on peace building and conflict resolution

and has helped me understand the issues

between the various project- affected

communities and concession companies”

intimates Matthew Benson also from Butaw.

Participants also lauded the Government of

Liberia, UNDP and UNMIL for the

initiative and vowed to use dialogue to

resolve conflict emanating from project

affected communities.

In Grand Cape Mount County, UNDP

Country Director who briefly interacted with

the beneficiaries called for Tripartite

engagement in Responding to concession

Issues.

Dr. Pa Lamin Beya encouraged project

affected communities and citizens across

Liberia to always use tripartite engagement

in responding and seeking redress to

concession issues.

“The concession may not be operating to

your expectations, but your response should

not be violent or conflict…. Your response

should be based on a tripartite arrangement

and continuous dialogue. Tripartite

mechanism should be maintained,” Dr.

Beyai said.

Also speaking, the Director of the National

Bureau of Concession (NBC) Ciatta Bishop

told PACs to ensure that the operations of

the concession positively impact their

respective communities through dialogue

and peaceful engagements.

At the end of the day, what has affected you

most impact you positively…. The

government will not always be right all

the time, the concessionaires will not

always be right all the time and you

will not also be right all the time; but

your goal must be to ensure that the

community is positively impacted,

despite and whatever the disagreements

may be” she added.

Dr. Francis Kaikai, Head of Peace

Consolidation Section of UNMIL told

members of the PACs to ensure

peaceful co-existence with the

concessionaires for the development of

their respective communities and

Liberia in general.

The Multi-Stakeholder Platforms also use

the opportunity to elect their respective

Leaderships.

-30-

Group Presentation on confliction prevention held in Grand

Cape Mount County

PG-3

Multi-stakeholders’

Platform Members Commit

to peace in Concession

Communities

In continuation of the implementation of the

Assessed Funding Project, community

dwellers of various concession areas in

Liberia promised not to use violence to

solve any future problems.

Project Affected Community (PAC)

members from concession areas in Sinoe,

Nimba, Maryland and Grand Cape Mount

Counties resolved to channel their

grievances through their leaderships

organized by the National Bureau of

Concessions (NBC).

The resolution was made at the end of a

two-day national multi-stakeholders

Platform meeting in Monrovia. The pledge

was made during the formal induction of the

leaderships of the four Multi-Stakeholder

Platforms established in the four conflict-

prone Counties.

The two-day meeting was organized by the

United Nations Development Programme

(UNDP) with funding from the United

Nations Mission in Liberia

(UNMIL) in partnership with

National Bureau of Concession

(NBC) under the Assessed Funding

Project.

It was designed to strengthen

concession monitoring and

prevention capabilities of

participants by providing space for

experiential learning on how to

formalize, operationalize and

monitor the activities of MSPs in

response.

Under the theme “Improving

Citizen’s Engagement in

Concessions Management,

delegates pledged to work with

concessionaires to avoid conflict.

The participating concession communities in

their recommendations said, “We want the

passage of the Land Rights Bill with

urgency because it gives communities the

right to own land so that community

dwellers will have something to protect

them.

Speaking at the program, UNDP Resident

Representative and Deputy Special

Representative of the United Nations

Mission in Liberia Yacoub Hillo, stressed

the urgent need for issues surrounding land

to be adequately addressed as a means of

maintaining peace and stability across the

Country.

Inducted MSPs making a pledge to promote peace during the 2-day

Meeting

PG-4

The tenure and concession issues around

land are the main drivers of conflict that

need urgent attention” stated Mr. Hillo.

At the same time, the Director General of

the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC),

said it was important that citizens participate

in dialogue instead of engaging in violence

in concession areas.

-30-

Police and Immigration Get

Patrol Boats and other

equipment from

Japan/UNDP

The Liberia National Police (LNP) and the

Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) received

sets of equipment donated by UNDP with

funding from the

Government of Japan

under the Border

Surveillance Post

Ebola Project.

The project which has

been implemented

since March 2015

seeks to strengthen the

institutional capacities

of the LNP and LIS,

with a specific focus

on border security

through enhanced

surveillance systems,

screening of border

crossings and patrol of

border points.

It can be recalled that uncontrolled border

crossings resulted in the transmission of

Ebola.

The handing over ceremony took place at

the Liberia Maritime Authority Training

Academy, in Marshall, Margibi County and

was attended by the Inspector-General of the

LNP, Mr. Gregory O.W Coleman and the

Commissioner-General of the LIS, Cllr.

Lemuel Reeves, who received the donations

on behalf of their institutions.

Mr. Steve Jackson of the Ministry of Justice

received the donations from UNDP through

its Deputy Country Director for Programme,

Mr. Cleophas Torori.

Among the donations were six state-of-the-

art patrol boats also called “dinghies” a

relatively small naval vessel generally

designed for coastal defense duties, which

will be used for border patrol and protection

roles, including anti-smuggling, anti-piracy,

fishery patrols, and immigration law, as well

as rescue operations.

This will be the first time for the LIS to have

such watercraft for marine and river patrols,

besides other logistics provided to boost its

capacity, thanks to the UNDP project.

PG-5

Besides the dinghies, other sets of

equipment donated included 2 Toyota Land

Cruisers Hardtop motor vehicles (for

Monitoring and Evaluation), 32 Desk top

computers, 32 Laser jet Printers and 100

Camp-beds valued at US$371,336.22, all

shared equally between the 2 agencies.

In total, the $3.6m project which has just

ended has enhanced the operational and

logistical capacity of LIS and LNP with 18

vehicles, 160 motor-bikes, 2,000 rain gear,

16 tents, 260 camp beds, 200 hand-held

communication radios and 80 base radios,

168 mega-phones for community

sensitization, 100 flash lights, 200 hand-held

thermometers, 15 solar panels with technical

rooms that are yet to be

installed at selected

border posts and police

stations in the counties,

and 8 Public Address

(PA) systems under the

case of the County

Superintendent to be

used for public

engagement and

sensitization, among

other sanitation kit

supplies for about 400

female officers and

households heads.

Receiving the

equipment and items on

behalf of their

respective institutions,

both the Inspector –

General of the Police

Gregory Coleman and

the Commissioner-

General of the Liberia Immigration Service

Lemuel Reeves pledged to use the

equipment for the purpose intended and

expressed appreciation to UNDP and the

Government and people of Japan for the

donation that has greatly helped to

strengthen the capacities of their institutions.

As the project comes to a close, it is obvious

that it has immensely enhanced operations

and patrols of the security agencies,

especially in the border counties, and

consequently increased the confidence and

trust between security agencies and border

communities, as well as improve social

cohesion and peaceful co-existence.

The project has also demonstrated the

fruitful dividends of the partnership between

UNDP and the Governments of Japan and

Liberia. -30-

UNDP Deputy Country Director for Programme Torori pose for photo with LNP and LIS

Counterparts

PG-6

UNDP/Japan Regional

Project Convenes

Coordination Meeting In

Liberia

The Regional Post-Ebola Project of the

United Nations Development Programme

(UNDP) with support from the Government

and people of Japan conducted a two-day

regional coordination meeting in Monrovia.

UNDP Country Director, Dr. Pa Lamin

Beyai, speaking at the event appreciated and

applauded the government and people of

Japan for supporting many projects in the

country and the sub-region.

In addition to this Regional project, Liberia

is a beneficiary of a few of Japan funded

projects”, including the just ended US$3.6m

Enhanced Border Surveillance Project” he

added.

Dr. Beyai said UNDP attaches importance to

decentralization and strengthening of local

capacity, infrastructure, and the economy; as

well as allowing people to effectively

participate in taking decisions and

implementing projects that affect their well-

being.

“The evidence is the critical role played by

the communities in the Ebola response in the

various countries… Worthy of specific

mention is the need for economic

empowerment of women and the

youth, and their full participation

in decision-making processes.

“Hence the importance of this

project,” the UNDP boss added.

The project aims to support

regional institutions’ operational

capacities; regional early warning

responses, mechanisms and

policies; local governance in

cross-border areas; local

authorities, communities and civil

society capacities; strengthened

for economic opportunities and

promotion of local development;

and social cohesion, dialogue and

peacebuilding in the four Mano

River Union (MRU) Countries

i.e. Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea

(that were affected by the Ebola outbreak)

and Cote d’Ivoire.

Roosevelt Woods, Executive Director of the

Foundation for International Dignity (FIND)

said the two-day coordination meeting

afforded them the opportunity to share

remarkable successes and challenges of the

project in the different countries.

FIND is one of the implementing CSOs of

the Regional Post-Ebola Project. “Looking

at this project, though very short, it had a

very serious impact in terms of

A cross-section of Delegates attending the Regional Meeting in Monrovia

PG-7

strengthening capacities in the rural areas

and we hope that in the future we will have

some post intentions that will require

additional awareness, engaging our local

authorities to be able to address pressing

social-economic situations we have in our

country….” Mr. Woods said.

To ensure the successful completion of the

remaining activities, and collaboration

among partners, and stakeholders; UNDP

with the national partners, including County

Authorities’ plans to hold Citizens’

engagement sessions.

The project is being implemented in Liberia

by the Agency for Economic Development

and Empowerment (AEDE); the Foundation

for International Dignity (FIND); the Peace

Building Organization (PBO) of the

Ministry of Internal affairs (MIA); Platform

for Development and Peace (P4DP) and the

Search for Common Grounds (SCG).

As the Ebola outbreak ended in 2016,

UNDP, with support of national and

regional partners, developed this regional

project funded by the Government of Japan

to support the three Ebola affected countries

(Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia) and Côte

d’Ivoire.

The project addresses residual cross-border

recovery needs within the Manu River

Union (MRU), and assists governments and

affected communities in the areas of health

service provision, social and economic

governance, peace building and security.

-30-

Delegates attending the 2-day Regional Ebola Meeting Held in Monrovia

PG-8

UNDP Country Director

Stresses "Honesty" Among

Procurement Officers

The Country Director of the United Nations

Development Programme (UNDP) Liberia

called for 'honesty' among procurement

officers in Liberia at the opening of a set of

back to back trainings for CIPs Levels 2 and

3 for public procurement officers.

Dr. Pa Lamin Beyai said anyone who sees

procurement as a money-making profession

to earn extra money outside of their salaries

must immediately leave.

The trainings were organized by the Public

Procurement and Concession Commission

(PPCC) with support from UNDP for

beginners and mid-level procurement

personnel from Line Ministries, Agencies,

Commissions and UNDP.

About 60 trainees formed part of a

batch of staff who have either

successfully completed previous

levels of the CIPS trainings or are

beginners.

This initiative seeks to qualify

public sector procurement

practitioners for certificates in

public procurement and

subsequent accreditation by the

Chartered Institute of Purchasing

& Supply (CIPS), based in UK.

"You are being trained to make

savings for the government

without losing sight of the quality

that you are looking for....

Procurement is not for money

making. If you're here to make more money,

then I think you're in the wrong place...." Dr.

Beyai said.

Also, the Executive Director of the Public

Procurement and Concession Commission

(PPCC) Dorbor Jallah said the training for

the batch of thirty (30) persons for CIPS

level 3 was the third group for this year.

“The first two were done early February

and late March where a total of 70

procurement personnel benefitted. By the

end of this batch, Liberia may have trained,

at level three, up to one-hundred people

which is a good thing,” Mr. Jallah said.

Sidiki Quasia of the Ministry of Finance and

Development Planning (MFDP) also lauded

efforts by the Public procurement and

Concession Commission (PPCC) with

support from UNDP for the strides being

made to build trust, efficiency and

effectiveness among procurement Staff to

help promote accountability and

transparency. -30-

One of the Beneficiaries of the CIPs Training gazing through the Procurement

manual

PG-9

Maintaining a

Memorial…Human Rights

Commission holds town

hall meeting

The Independent Commission on Human

Rights (INCHR) conducted a two day

stakeholder town hall meeting with some

residents of the Duport Road Community

and officials from the Paynesville City

Corporation for the maintenance of the

Duport Road Memorial Site.

The Duport Road Memorial site is a UN

Peace Building Fund project, managed by

the United Nations Development Program

(UNDP) and implemented through the

Independent Commission

on Human Rights as part of

the National Reconciliation

Road Map which was

recommended by the Truth

and Reconciliation; under

the Community-based

Truth Telling, Atonement

and Psychosocial Recovery

Project known as the

(Palava Hut Project).

During the discussion, the

Acting Chairman of the

INCHR Bartholomew

Colley told the participants

that INCHR has been

instrumental in the

implementation of two

major components of the

National Reconciliation

Road Map, which are the National Palava

Hut and the Memorialization thematic areas.

The INCHR Boss expressed the hope that

participants will make use of lessons learned

from Liberia’s ugly past and focus on how

to manage the memorial in order to make it

a source of peace and reconciliation, instead

of a place of vengeance.

“When I think of some of these massacres

and genocides that happened around the

world, they remind me of the barbarism to

humanity. This is unacceptable”.

He said the Duport Road and other

memorials that are being built in the country

is a way of giving dignity to those that did

not have the opportunity to be buried with

respect.

Bartholomew Colley expressed

disappointment in the way young people

assemble at the memorial site especially

during weekends and holidays to celebrate.

“I must say I’m not happy about the way

people come here from the community and

nearby communities to play loud music and

drink alcoholic beverages while dancing”.

The Duport Road Memorial Located in the Suburb of Paynesville

PG-10

Also speaking at the Town Hall Meeting on

behalf of the United Nations, Randall

Harbour, the Senior Political Affairs Officer

at the United Nations Mission in Liberia

(UNMIL) thanked the INCHR for the

initiative and urged families of victims to be

strong in overcoming their grief.

“I know this will not help you in your

sorrow, but let it be a step towards national

reconciliation in building a better future”.

The Duport Road Memorial was dedicated

on March 8, 2017 in honor of several

Liberians who died during the 14-year old

armed conflict, which befell the country,

from December 24th 1989 - up to August

11th, 2003.

Bodies that were collected from different

parts of Monrovia were buried in a mass

grave at the Du-port Road Waterside

Community in Paynesville.

-30-

UNDP Liberia Staff

Identifies with Tobacconie

Public School in Grand

Bassa County during

Retreat

The United Nations Development Program

(UNDP) through its Staff Association

identified with the Tobacconie Elementary

Public School District #3, in Grand Bassa

County during a Country Office Staff retreat

held in that part of the country.

Under the theme “Leveraging Our

Strength, Raising Our Profile”, UNDP

staff which include both national and

international employees turned over several

assorted supplies to the school as well as the

student population.

The School administration received solar

lights and radios, a type writer, crayons,

boxes of A4 paper and other stationaries

while the students

received assorted

items such as book

bags, copybooks,

pencils, sharpeners,

erasers, clothes,

toiletries, sweets

among others.

The Staff also had a

cookout with the

students and the

administration. The

school has over 200

pupils with only two

teachers including the

Principal.

It is situated a distance

from Buchanan City One of the happy beneficiaries with her new book bag provided by UNDP Liberia Staff

PG-11

and lacks basic supplies to properly operate

the school.

The Principal Jerry Payne said they needed

the typewriter because the school lacks

electricity and has no means of preparing the

tests for the students.

UNDP Country Director Pa Lamin Beyai

told the students that the gifts were made

available through the generosity of staff

members who sacrificed their daily

subsistence allowances and other personal

contributions to put smiles on the faces of

the students and the school.

He encouraged the students to pay attention

to their lessons and stay in school for a

better and brighter future.

The Staff Association is composed of staff

from UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA and

UNOPS.

Its President Eutychinus Kaman Weah said

the donation followed an assessment visit to

the school where it was observed that the

institution lacked basic stationaries and

other instructional materials while most of

the students did not have school supplies.

Receiving the items, the Principal of the

school Jerry Payne, praised UNDP and the

staff for selecting his institution for such

memorable donation.

-30-

Staff of UNDP distributing school items and interacting with the Students of the Tobacconie Public School in Grand Bassa County

PG-12

Donors

Implementing Partners

UNDP Liberia Staff Retreat in Photos