Monrovia – When former football coach Arsene Wenger described George Weah’s life story as a miracle that ‘will make a marvelous film’, he had no idea that a compatriot of the former World Best player was planning to write a biography about the soccer legend.

Review By: Alpha Daffae Senkpeni

Now, with the release of this “Unauthorized Biography of Mr. George Weah”, this review of the book proves Wenger was right. This version of Weah’s biography is a good fit for a biopic although Weah did not authorize it. 

The work put in this book may ease potential screenwriters and movie producers’ trouble of conducting hectic research. The author put the icing on the cake for what would be a great “true-life story” for the big screen.

Forget the potential of turning this book into a biopic, author Rodney D. Sieh, who is also a successful career journalist, worked as a researcher to get this book to the print house. Sieh’s journalism background might have propelled him to finishing it in a remarkable fashion. He successfully managed to blend his many years of reporting on Liberian politics with his solid background in sport reporting to deliver this excellent prose about the two phases of Mr. Weah’s life – a footballer and a politician.

Sieh’s sport reporting career is clearly manifested in this book. The way he recounts Weah’s road to footballing success in France and Italy demonstrates Sieh’s passion and understanding of telling sport history. His narration of Weah’s goal scored on November 23, 1994 against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League will give readers an imagery of that iconic night. It’s a flashback anyone will relish.

Also, the book validates and at the same time debunks many of the myths about Weah’s raise to the top of Liberian football before his exploits in Europe. Again, thanks to Sieh’s meticulous research skill and ability to deliver multiple historical accounts accurately.

What’s important to also note in this review is that the book is not only about George Weah. It’s a massive effort that documented historical events that range from Liberia’s footballing culture, atrocities of the civil war, unsavory political antics and politicians maneuvers to the highest echelon of government in Liberia.

The way the author profiled all the characters [or if you like, eyewitnesses] would give readers a deep understanding of each character/person’s history and legacy – good or bad. The author appropriately found the link between each character and Mr. Weah, showing how relations either foster or failed.

This book also makes staggering revelations about Liberia’s political maneuverings and upheavals and uncovers deep rivalry amongst old-time and new-time Liberian politicians. Notably, it reveals the root of a deep feud that existed between former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Cllr. Varney Sherman prior to the 2005 elections.

Because it’s an unofficial biography, there would be debates about the believability of the accounts recounted in this book. However, the attributions given to characters or sources by the writer do easily controverts any believability inklings. From Mr. Weah’s former teammates, club executives, journalists, fans, political bedfellows, and allies, the writer meticulously pieced together relevant historical details retold by witnesses to present the complete life story of one of Liberia’s greatest sons.

This book offers information for two kinds of readers: Liberians and foreigners. For Liberians familiar with the story of George Weah and are still keen on verifying some accounts of his rags-to-riches story, this book solves the puzzle. For foreign readers, it’s a masterclass narration about the life journey of global footballing icon turn politician.  And, if you are unfamiliar with the oral history about Mr. Weah that has lingered for decades, this is a page turner to help you find out the truth. 

This book gives staggering revelations about Weah’s political ambition for the Liberian presidency even when the world knew nothing about it. It takes readers back into time unraveling Weah’s infant political ambition and the murky roads he trekked that led to his triumph in 2017. 

And now probably the most infamous controversy in the country’s history that Liberians still bemoan: the dramatic failure of the national football team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup when Mr. Weah led the team through a successful run of qualifier. Chapter 7 presents several accounts about incidents leading to that historic flop by the Lone Star in 2022.

For international or foreign readers, this is a history book that catalogs Liberia’s recent past of politics and the brutal civil war. It gives a deep glimpse into major political ploys and some of the notorious dealings of political bedfellows.

This is not a book only about President George Weah, it’s a recollection of Liberia’s recent historical events.

_____________________________________

About the Author:

Alpha Daffae Senkpeni is a Liberian journalist, fact checker and communications specialist. He is a prospective graduate of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law.

Senkpeni is a former editor of FrontPage Africa and is currently Executive Director of Local Voices Liberia.

He can be reached via email: daffae82@gmail.com

Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The two top performing students of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia have been awarded fully funded scholarship for the ongoing semester, thanks to the Noble Second Floor – a campus based organization comprising of law students and lawyers.

Students Nadia Gbalee Warner and Lasana L. Kamara have received the sum of US$1,351 each to cover their respective tuition fees (covering 16 credit hours) for the first semester of the academic year.

The gesture comes as the Noble Second Floor thrives to leave an indelible imprint on Liberia’s only law school while remaining dedicated to horning their leadership acumen through legal scholarship.

Before making the presentation of the checks to the two top performing students on May 10 at the law school campus, Madam Hnede Sillah, President of the Noble Second Floor, emphasized that the campus-based organization will continue to embark upon meaningful projects that would impact the law school and at the same time sends a message to members of the legal community about the essence of giving back to the school.

She made the statement during an occasion organized by the Law School administration to honor over 35 students for their brilliant academic performances during the last two semesters.

Following the brief honoring program, Madam Sillah and members of the Noble Second Floor were then joined by Cllr. T. Negbalee Warner and other faculty members to officially present the checks to the two scholars.

Receiving the checks, Law Student Warner expressed gratitude to the Noble Second Floor for supporting her educational sojourn and promised to do better.

Also receiving the check on behalf of student Lasana L. Kamara, Madam Roberta Barclay, who is also a Law Student, thanked the organization for supporting Kamara’s quest to continue his legal education.

The provision of the two scholarships is part of the organization’s milestone project that also includes the procurement of modern and comfortable classroom chairs for the largest classroom (RH-2) at the school.

The Noble Second Floor considers the chair project as a “pilot project” intended to attract the attention of the UL administration and other well-meaning individuals of society to the plight of the school so that they may also contribute to the modernization of the school’s facilities, the organization disclosed in a statement early this month following a donation of assorted toiletries to the law school administration.

Established in 2019, The Noble Second Floor is a campus-based organization comprising of law students and lawyers who are dedicated to advancing legal scholarship and contributing toward the improvement of Liberia’s only bastion of legal education.

Monrovia – The Liberia Media Initiative has officially unveiled Liberia’s first fact-checking desk aimed at countering and debunking fake news, disinformation, and misinformation within Liberia’s information ecosystem.

The fact-checking desk, which is being run by Local Voices Liberia, is the first major fact-checking initiative in the country and has been operating since June 2021 – tracking and fact-checking a variety of information or fake news that has been circulating in social and mainstream media.

With co-funding from the European Union, the fact-checking desk is a major activity of the Liberia Media Initiative that is being implemented by Internews in collaboration with local partners like Local Voices Liberia (LVL), the Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMPS), the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and the Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL). 

The launch of the fact-checking project was graced by delegations from the European Union Mission in Liberia, the Independent Information Commission, officials of the Press Union of Liberia, media stakeholders, and journalists, amongst others. 

Speaking at the program on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at a local hotel in Congo Town, Mr. Anders Arvidsson, who is the Head of Political, Press & Information at the EU Mission to Liberia, warned that “large-scale disinformation campaigns, online disinformation and misinformation are major challenges of our times”, adding that this looming problem “represents an attack to open societies and free democracies such as Liberia, Ukraine and the European Member States.”

He hailed the Liberian media including the LVL fact checking desk for working hard to counter the spread of fake news and misinformation in the country.

“Today the European Union congratulates Liberia Media Initiative (LMI) and Local Voices Liberia for the incredibly professional response to the challenge [as] we celebrate the launch of Liberia’s very first fully functional Fact-Checking Desk,” Mr. Arvidsson said.

“This will further institutionalize fact-checking in journalism in Liberia and bring the information and facts closer to the Liberian people. My team in the EU Delegation and myself are proud to hear that both the newsletters and website have been steadily growing over the last months. More than 20 radio stations have been broadcasting the work done and the level of detailed and professional information and facts continue to surprise us”.

Speaking earlier, Mr. Samuka Konneh, LMI Project Director, thanked the EU for the support and described the project as a “huge success” while lauding LVL for effectively running the fact-checking desk.

He stressed that the work of LVL has defied the myth that “Liberian organizations lack the motivation and professionalism to do great work”.

Meanwhile, the LMI Project Director also emphasized the significance of media development projects in Liberia, outlining the overall goals they seek to achieve including making interventions that leave a “long-lasting impact to enhance the country’s democracy”.

Said Konneh: “Sometimes it is difficult to count the impact of media development interventions because they are not physical structured but at least at the end of the implementation there are glaring evidence on how much we’ve been able the build the capacity of individual journalists, how much we’ve been able to improve the internal capacity of Liberian institutions, and how much we’ve been able to link citizens and policy makers to discuss governance and democratic issues”.

He added that measuring the achievements of the Liberia Media Initiative with its impact on countering fake news and other activities shows that the project is “an immense success”.

At the same time, he emphasized the challenge that journalists have to endure due to the frequent sharing of unverified information by non-media practitioners or citizens mainly via social media.

“That is the biggest problem that the media is facing in this 21^st century and I do strongly believe that with all of our different interventions under the LMI [project], we have begun a process that is more systematic, that is more deliberate, in combatting what has become to be known as fake news, misinformation, disinformation,” he said.

Konneh termed the launch of the fact-checking desk as “a start of a significant process in combatting fake news” and urged the European Union to continue co-funding the initiative even after the end of the ongoing project especially in 2023 when Liberians will go to the polls in a very crucial national election.

“Our public is not sophisticated, our media still need training, fact-checking is new in Liberia, so if we stop the effort at this stage (after the project) then we’ll be rolling back all of the gains we’ve made in systemizing the process of fact-checking in the journalism we do,” he stressed.

Also, during the launch, Local Voices Liberia presented a baseline activity report focusing on Liberians’ perception of fake news, hate speech, and data privacy and protection. The survey, which was done using a Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) module, sought to gauge the public understanding of these topics and informed LVL about how to effectively tackle the spread of fake news in Liberia’s information ecosystem.

Presenting a summary of the report, LVL Executive Director, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, disclosed that 18 FGDs targeting 180 respondents were conducted in nine counties.

“The nine counties are Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Montserrado, Bomi and Grand Cape Mount, Sinoe, Grand Bassa and Rivercess Counties,” he said. “These counties were divided into three regions based on their population size, levels of access to print, broadcast and social media usage.”

He added: “Participants showed a significant level of understanding on this subject in the context of the frequency and prevalence of fake news and Hate speech. But respondents’ knowledge of ‘hate speech’ was slightly below that of fake news.”

Senkpeni added that the data of the FGDs has helped his team understand the problem and developed a strategy to track and produce content to counter fake news and misinformation in the country.

As part of the fact-checking desk operations, LVL produces fact-checked reports that are published to a dedicated web page on its website, share and populate content on social media (Facebook), produced a monthly newsletter, and produce a monthly radio program that is broadcast on 21 radio stations across the country.

Capitol Hill, Monrovia – Members of the Noble Second Floor on Thursday, March 17, 2022, inducted their new code of officers who are expected to lead the organization in the coming school year at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law to ensure academic excellence and the implementation of several projects including a milestone scholarship program.

Those inducted were Noble Sister Hnede Barrian-Sillah as President, Noble Brother Martin Wleh-Pennie as Vice President, Noble Sister Khelehla Mensah as Secretary General, and Noble Brother Othello Easter Cee as Treasurer.

The colorful program, held in the newly renovated palava hut of the law school at the University of Liberia’s Capitol Hill campus, was graced by prominent lawyers and professors as well as students of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law (LAGSL).

Monrovia City Court Judge Jomah Jallah, Associate Dean of the law school Kpadehson Sumo, Professor Counselor Moses Paegar, Cllr. Christopher Jamal Dehtho, Vice President of the Liberia National Bar Association, and Dr. Musa Dukuly, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia, were all in attendance to grace the occasion.

Dr. Dukuly, who served as guest speaker, challenged students of law to ensure that they help the public have a clear understanding of legal issues and laws that appeared complicated or controversial.

At the same time, he hailed members of TNSF for being farsighted by organizing themselves into a “Noble organization that seeks to help better the law school and the society at large”. 

Earlier, while turning over the mantle of authority to Noble Sister Sillah, Noble Brother Prince Kieh, President emeritus of TNSF, stressed the core values of the organization which encompasses “academic excellence and selfless contribution to the improvement of the Law school”.

Kieh also urged students and lawyers, who are alumni of the LAGSL, to “look back and give back to the only law school in the country in other to help the school facility becomes a true representation of its many contributions it has made to training professional and very successful lawyer”.

For her part, Noble Sister Sillah rallied members of TNSF to support her leadership, assuring that the organization will continue to lead by example and make the law school a better place for all students.

Meanwhile, as part of the event a fund drive was launched to raise funding for the implementation of the organization’s projects which include the provision of a fully funded scholarship for the top performing student of the law school and the procurement of modern chairs for at least two classrooms.

Over US$2,500 was contributed during the event with an additional fully funded scholarship announced by Cllr. Dehtho, who promised that he will underwrite the full tuition of the top performing female student. Others who contributed or made pledges were Cllr. Paegar, Judge Jallah, Dr. Dukuly, Law student Wilhelmina Budy, law student Joseph Howe, and Law student Nyekeh Forkpa, amongst others. The organization has put the total cost of the two-milestone projects at US$5,000. 

Established in 2019, The Noble Second Floor is a campus-based organization comprising of law students and lawyers who are dedicated to advancing legal scholarship and contributing toward the improvement of Liberia’s only bastion of legal education.

Dakar, Senegal – Just a day before this year’s Forum on Africa-China Cooperation (FOCAC), which is the eighth edition of the ministerial conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi predicted that the summit would set a new milestone. Mr. Wang made the assertion when he met with his Senegalese counterpart, Foreign Minister Aissata Tall Sall in Dakar on Sunday.

The conference began November 29 and ended on November 30th. Most of the gathering was held virtually due to the lingering threat of Covid-19, but the outcome now sets a “new milestone”, as predicted by Mr. Wang.

Key issues were brought to the fore: Health, poverty reduction and agriculture, trade and investment, digital innovation, and green development, among others. What seems inevitable is that Beijing is poised to further solidify its ties with African nations.

“The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is a crucial platform for collective dialogue between China and Africa and an effective mechanism for practical cooperation,” asserts Mr. Wang, adding that “with the joint efforts of both sides, the forum has become the standard-bearer for international development and cooperation, and a fine example of South-South cooperation.”

Since FOCAC was initiated some 20 years ago, it continues to amass progress for both Chinese and African peoples. For example, Chinese companies have built over 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, nearly 1,000 bridges, nearly 100 ports, and over 80 large-scale power facilities in Africa.

In addition, China have assisted Africa in building over 130 medical facilities, 45 gymnasiums and more than 170 schools, and training over 160,000 professionals in various fields. Chinese medical teams have provided medical service to African countries.

President Xi Xinping, who addressed the conference via video link, recounted how his country and Africa have successfully worked over the past 65 years to strengthen cooperation, enjoying diplomatic ties and while forging “unbreakable fraternity in our struggle against imperialism and colonialism, and embarked on a distinct path of cooperation in our journey toward development and revitalization.”

“At the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, I proposed that we build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future. The proposal was unanimously endorsed by African leaders,” said the Chinese president while recounting the progress of the last FOCAC Conference which was hosted in Beijing.

“Over the past three years and more, China and Africa have worked together to fully implement the eight major initiatives and other outcomes of the Beijing Summit and completed a large number of priority cooperation projects.”

In his speech, Xi then suggested four cardinal plans to further cement the FOCAC collaboration: fight Covid-19 with solidarity, deepen practical corporation, promote green development, and uphold equity and justice.

Disclosing the proposed China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, he added that under the first three-year plan of the Vision 2035, “China will work closely with African countries to implement several projects”.

What are the Projects?

With this year’s FOCAC eclipsed by the pandemic, sparking global urge to respond adequately to curbing the spread of Covid-19, China has again promised to provide another 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to African countries to help achieve the African Union’s goal of vaccinating 60 percent of the African population by 2022. At the same time, China has agreed to “undertake 10 medical and health projects for African countries and send 1,500 medical personnel and public health experts to Africa” as a means of combatting the spread of COVID-19.

In a bid to help Africa reduce poverty, China has also promised to implement 10 agricultural-module projects as to enhance existing poverty reduction strategies. This will see 500 Chinese agriculture experts work across the continent. Additionally, China will support the Alliance of Chinese Companies in Africa to ensure corporate social responsibilities fund support initiatives that will set up “100 companies in 1,000 villages” across the continent.

In furtherance of trade and investment, Beijing has agreed to increase the scope of products that are enjoying zero-tariff treatment for least developed African countries that are having diplomatic relations with China. This move is to ensure a total of US$300 billion in imports from Africa to China in the next three years while US$10 billion trade financing will be provided to augment African export to the world’s second largest economy.

On the other hand, China will encourage its businesses to invest no less than US$10 billion in Africa in the next three years while “Beijing will undertake 10 industrialization and employment promotion projects across Africa and provide credit facilities of 10 billion dollars to African financial institutions, support the development of African small and medium-sized enterprises on a priority basis, and establish a China-Africa cross-border RMB center”.

China, which is a world leader in technology and digitalization, is also keen on sharing knowledge with African countries – that are clearing lagging.

“China will undertake 10 digital economy projects for Africa, set up centers for China-Africa cooperation on satellite remote-sensing application, and support the development of China-Africa joint laboratories, partner institutes, and scientific and technological innovation cooperation bases,” a portion of a statement from Dakar reads.

FOCAC Represents ‘Mutual Respect and Brotherhood’

The outcomes from Dakar mirror the strong ties between China and Africa. As always, Beijing has heralded its “non-interference” diplomacy – stressing that it doesn’t interfere with African countries’ domestic politics. And with China growing influence on the continent, African countries continue to explore the relationship with the world’s second largest economy.

Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is host of this year’s summit, before the start of the conference described Africa’s relationship with China as “fully reflects the solidarity, mutual assistance and brotherhood”.

“China’s great success has provided reference and brought hope for African countries with similar historical experiences. China stands for fair and inclusive global governance, which fully serves the common interests of developing countries including Africa,” the Senegalese president said during a meeting with Mr. Wang. “Senegal expects China to continue to play a leading role in the international arena and help Africa achieve development and rejuvenation.”

Sall also praised the FOCAC framework, calling it a “fruitful cooperation” that is grounded in “mutual respect” for all countries. His assertion is backed by the fact that in the first 10 months of 2021, trade between China and Africa reached US$200 billion despite the Covid-19 pandemic – making China Africa’s largest trade partner for 13 years in a roll.

“The daily progress of China-Africa cooperation opens up new prospects for China-Africa friendship, creates new opportunities for China-Africa development, and delivers new benefits to Chinese and African people,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang said.

Liberia Enjoys FOCAC Support

Liberia-China’s ties have garnered massive benefit for the West African nation with the FOCAC framework offering both tangible and intangible projects for Liberians. From the construction of the ministerial complex, the University of Liberia’s Fendell Campus, the Jackson F. Doe Hospital in Nimba County to the new annexes at the Capitol in Monrovia, China infrastructural support to Liberia is visible almost everywhere.

The pending construction of two overpass along the Tubman Boulevard is also expected to be landmark projects evincing the impact of FOCAC, which has also ushered the signing of a new phase of economic and technical cooperation agreement between Liberia and China in February 2021.This means, China will provide US$23 million grant assistance to Liberia — this is a 50% increment compared with the previous phase.

For now, it is not yet known what’s in the new FOCAC package for Liberia, but the size of the envelope is pretty massive and would offer some benefits for the west African nation as its government seeks to implement its development agenda.   

Monrovia – China epitomizes resilience and globalization. The Asian nation endured a turbulent past but in the last five decades, it made groundbreaking progress, solidifying its place as a contributor to global peace, humanity, and multilateralism.

History remembers China for being a staunch believer of global cooperation evident by being a founding member of the United Nations back in 1945. But China would later be removed from the United Nations following diplomatic disagreements as to the “lawful representation” of the Asian nation.

Back then, some countries deemed the “Republic of China” as the representative of the Chinese people at the General Assembly while others pushed for the People’s Republic of China to become the true representative since the PRC represented the interest of the vast majority of Chinese at the time.  

In what appeared to be a contention, the “important question” theory then surfaced to make the determination by member states.

Amid the maneuvering by major global powers at the time, on October 25, 1971, the 26th UN General Assembly rejected the “important question” with an overwhelming majority of 76 votes for, 35 votes against and 17 abstentions. That famous decision then saw the restoration of the People’s Republic of China as the “lawful representative” of the Chinese people at the UN.

In recounting the incidents leading to that milestone 50 years ago, the Chinese Foreign Ministry recently described that landmark decision as a “breakthrough in China’s diplomacy”, adding that it was a “complete failure of the anti-China forces in their attempt to block the restoration of the lawful rights of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations”.

It has been 50 years since the vote was taken and China continues to flourish from all fronts leaving impressions on many developing nations while also contributing to the transformation of human lives. So far, China has solidified itself as a global leader in various sectors of human development and global corporation.

To commemorate this historical feat, Chinese President Xi Jinping in his recent address to the UN General Assembly smartly recounted the support his nation received from other countries during the “protracted struggle” to see China get back its rightful place at the UN.  

“The restoration of New China’s lawful seat in the United Nations was a momentous event for the world and the United Nations. It came as the result of joint efforts of all peace-loving countries that stood up for justice in the world. It marked the return of the Chinese people, or one-fourth of the world’s population, back to the UN stage. The importance was significant and far-reaching for both China and the wider world,” said Chinese President Xi in his message to the UN.

Xi expressed “heartfelt gratitude” to all countries that supported China’s restoration to the global body and was also very upbeat about his nation’s progress in the last five decades, stressing that they have enjoyed “peaceful development” and remains committed and “dedication to the welfare of all humanity”.

“For these 50 years, the Chinese people have demonstrated an untiring spirit and kept to the right direction of China’s development amidst changing circumstances, thus writing an epic chapter in the development of China and humanity,” he said.

Further recounting China’s support, he outlined the sending of over 50,000 peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping operations making the country the highest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions amongst the five permanent members of the Security Council.

China is also the first country to successfully meet the UN Millennium Development Goals, and a leader in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which accounts for over 70 percent of global poverty reduction. 

This is no ordinary account. For example, in the last 50 years China has lifted over 700 million of its people out of poverty, and the growth of the Chinese economy as the second largest in the world demonstrates the magnitude of progress the Chinese people have made.  

On the global development front, China is playing significant leadership role in spurring globalization through its signature Belt and Road Initiative while progress of the multilateral collaboration with Africa through the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is being etched in the pages of history as some of foremost modern infrastructure projects the African continent has seen.

“From the Tazara Railway to the Belt and Road Initiative, we have done what we could to help other developing countries and have offered the world new opportunities through our own development,” President Xi said.

Here in Liberia, China’s fingerprints are everywhere. From the Fendall Campus of the University of Liberia to the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, the Jackson F. Doe Hospital in Nimba County, the modern terminal at Roberts International Airport, and the new annex at the office of the Legislature on Capitol Hill, China is proving to be a pivotal development partner for the West African nation.

China has also significantly enhanced the level of human resource capacity for many Liberians. In the last two decades, scores of Liberians have acquired tertiary education at top Chinese universities, and they have returned to contribute to nation building, which has been direly needed following the end of the civil crisis in 2003.

China also contributed immensely to the restoration of peace and stability in Liberia following the end of civil hostilities by sending peacekeepers to support the United Nations Mission in Liberia, and when Ebola struck the West African nation back in 2014, China again stepped forward and was the first international partner to build a modern Ebola treatment unit at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville.

On the diplomatic front, Beijing has upheld its non-interference approach over the last five decades and as President Xi puts it rightly in his speech, China opposes “hegemony and power politics”, adding that “the Chinese people are a strong supporter of other developing countries in their just struggle to safeguard sovereignty, security and development interests”. 

This principle was again stressed in 2018 during the FOCAC summit in Beijing where the Chinese leader announced that his country was prepared to give Africa US$60 billion in new development financing but with “no political string attached”. Diplomatic experts have argued that China’s policy is efficient and welcomed by many African nations because it is a getaway from “neo-colonialism” and a renewed diplomacy that encapsulates a win-win approach.

Meanwhile, China is aware of the fast changes happening in the world. So, it continues it contribute to sustained growth of peace, development, and progress of the world. And the Chinese leader again re-affirmed in his address to the UN this year that it is the obligation of all nations to ensure the world remains peaceful and safe through corporation.

“It falls upon us to follow the prevailing trend of history, and choose cooperation over confrontation, openness over seclusion, and mutual benefit over zero-sum games,” he said. “We shall be firm in opposing all forms of hegemony and power politics, as well as all forms of unilateralism and protectionism”.

No matter the enormous challenges the world continues to endeavor with developing nations even more challenged with diversity of problems, China’s progress tells a story that require emulation by other developing nations. From a nation susceptible to poverty and foreign interferences to the second largest economy in the world with significant powers to contribute to world peace and development, China is a best example of a complete moderate prosperous nation.   

By Alpha Daffae Senkpeni with New Narratives

Freetown, Sierra Leone — Patrick Fatoma spends his days guiding guests around the fading halls of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone. It’s a job he has held for nearly a decade since the official close of Special Court for Sierra Leone in 2013.

Fatoma’s guests include tourists, curious aid workers and researchers who come to study the archives and see the place where ten perpetrators who “bore the greatest responsibility” for the horrors that left 50,000 people dead during Sierra Leone’s 11-year conflict, were held to account for their crimes. Most famous among those convicted here was former Liberian president Charles Taylor who became the first former African leader to be convicted of war crimes.

The income generated by the Residual Court, and a Peace Museum housed inside, is just the tail end of what was a large infusion of money into the Sierra Leonean economy during the 11-year lifetime of the Special Court. The court, the first to be funded by voluntary contributions from donor countries, spent $300m over its lifetime and employed 400 people, many of them Sierra Leoneans, during its busiest periods.

This court building alone cost US$4.6 million in construction from scratch, and millions of dollars more were used locally for procurement of materials and services. 

A war crimes court in Liberia could also bring some much-needed jobs and foreign currency into the struggling economy according to Liberian economist Samuel Jackson. A bill to establish a court has received 52 votes in the House of Representatives which is more than the 41 signatures threshold required for the resolution to move to the Senate for concurrence and passage into law.

Any impact would be dwarfed by the United Nations Mission in Liberia where US$552 million and 15,000 staff translated into an estimated economic impact of US$827 million. But even at the level of the Sierra Leone Court, the impact could be important.

“In a poor and depressed economy like Liberia’s, any kind of spending will spur some aggregate demand, but the magnitude would depend upon the size of the court and the inclusion of foreign nationals,” Jackson wrote in an email. “If they bring a lot of foreign judges and experts it will have a lot of support and it will have some significant impact on the local economy.”

The size and make up of any court in Liberia would be far into the future but experts say the Sierra Leone court, with so many similar challenges and cases, offers a strong guide.

Fatoma was one of hundreds of Sierra Leoneans whose lives changed as a result of work with the Sierra Leone Court after its inception in 2002. Fatoma, who before his recruitment as an Outreach Officer worked as a teacher, saw his monthly income jump from $25 a month to $6000 he claims.

“I was able to take care of my home and at the same time take care of other people’s home and my extended family including paying the university fees of my three younger brothers and also helped relatives who desperately needed major medical attention,” Fatoma says. “These were benefits that the Court brought – and I’m not the only person. This was not money coming from the government of Sierra Leone. That was an economic benefit because it went back to Sierra Leoneans”.

The economic question has been a key argument among opponents of a war crimes court in Liberia who claim it will create financial burden for an already struggling economy.

Adama Dempster, a long-time human rights activist and war crimes court campaigner, dismisses that argument. He says international donors will not expect Liberia to pay for the court. He says Liberia can follow Sierra Leone’s lead and set up a voluntary fund. Funding for “accountability mechanisms for grave crimes” are either “fixed or secured; voluntary or sometimes a combination of all,” says Dempster.

The Sierra Leone Court’s costs were covered by international donors at a rough ratio of 26 percent by the United States, 20 percent by the Netherlands, 16 percent by the UK. A shortfall in voluntary contribution was patched by UN grants. In the chaos after the wars engulfed the region in the 1990s and sent thousands of refugees out of the country, the international community had considerable interest in supporting the Sierra Leone court. With a global pandemic raging and ongoing wars in the Middle East, it’s not clear the international community would feel so compelled to step up to support a court in Liberia.

Dempster is confident financial support will be forthcoming. Once international crimes are punishable under international laws, there should be international funding to support such a cause, says Dempster. “Let us not use lack of funding by the government as the basis for not wanting to establish a war crimes court here.”

Hassan Bility, a long-time campaigner for the establishment of war crimes court and Executive Director for Global Justice and Research Project, supports Dempster’s assertion.

In an interview with Power FM/TV Bility highlighted the call by members of the US Congress in 2018 for Liberia to establish a war crimes court. He believes that is a sign the US government would help fund a court. 

“The Liberian government does not necessarily have to provide any money,” he said, detailing other war crimes tribunals that were funded and supported by the international community. He called on Liberians directly to push their legislators to pass a bill that would establish the court.

“So, we do not necessarily have to spend. You [Liberia] have to express the willingness and then you ask. Sierra Leone asked [for support] and it was given.”

For emerging economist and youth activist Martin K.N. Kollie, the cost to establish the court does not matter. It is the accountability by a War and Economic Crimes Court that will deliver the most important economic benefits which will set “Liberia on a new path towards genuine economic recovery, stability, and prosperity,” he said.

“After this Court does it work, would be culprits of economic crimes will be frightened to siphon public resources and abuse public assets which are intended to provide equal opportunities for all Liberians,” he says, encouraging more investments by donors and businesses.

Kollie was also hopeful that a court process would also include reparations – compensation payments – for victims. Reparations were among the 47 recommendations in the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and in Sierra Leone, the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund provided funding for a program in 2008. The program received $US8.5m in funds that were invested in one-time interim relief payments, medical operations for serious injuries, vocational training and micro-grants. However because there were so many victims, and so specific target groups, such as amputees and sexually abused women, the bulk of victims received just a one-time payment of roughly $US100.

For these reasons, a reparations fund does not seem likely at this point. The House of Representatives bill to establish the court does not include a reparations scheme for victims.

Knock-on Effects of a Court

In Sierra Leone, the benefits of the court played out in many ways that may not be immediately obvious. The Special Court gave hundreds of Sierra Leoneans opportunities for career advancement that they would not otherwise have had according to guide Patrick Fatoma.

“Many of our friends are now working for the ICC [International Criminal Court in the Netherlands],” Fatoma says. “Some are working across the world in various internationally acclaimed positions including in international tribunals. Security guards have obtained jobs across the world and some are here excelling within various sectors of our country.”

Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, who was the deputy prosecutor of the Court, would later become attorney general of Sierra Leone from 2016 -2018, while other judges who worked for the court have ascended to high-level roles within the country’s judicial system.

Mr. Abdul Nyande, 65, also sees himself as a “legacy of the Court’s economic impact”. Hired to work at the court’s cafeteria from 2004 to 2012, the father of four children would later become his own employer. He now manages the very same cafeteria as a private business that employs 10 staff.

“I was able to pay for school fees, college fees, and up to now I realized that it was not a bad decision to stay here,” Nyande laughs. “The Court also gave me a business of my own and still I’m running it.”

He said the war crimes court created two benefits for his country: “to ensure justice for war victims and providing jobs for locals,” and he’s optimistic Liberia can have its fair share.   

“When it comes to Liberia, it will bring more employment for the local people and will bring in foreign exchange like how it did in Sierra Leone,” he says. “Ordinary people will get benefits.”

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.

Monrovia – As countries begin reopening their international borders despite a new spike in coronavirus cases, the European Union has temporarily lifted restrictions on non-essential travel into EU countries but Liberia, which has just over 500 active COVID-19 cases, is excluded.

Report by Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, alpha.senkpeni@frontpageafricaonline.com

In a June 30 press release, the EU said the list will be reviewed and updated every two weeks.

Algeria (with 17,808 confirmed cases), Morocco (14,771), Tunisia (1,221) and Rwanda (1,191) are the four African countries that made the list.

They are joined by Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, New Zealand, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, and Uruguay as countries where none-EU citizens can travel from to the EU countries.

“The criteria to determine the third countries for which the current travel restriction should be lifted cover in particular the epidemiological situation and containment measures, including physical distancing, as well as economic and social considerations,” the EU release stated.

It added that, “the epidemiological situation” for a country to make the list, it must meet several criteria particularly,  number of new COVID-19 cases over the last 14 days and per 100, 000 inhabitants close to or below the EU average as of June 15; stable or decreasing trend of new cases over this period in comparison to the previous 14 days and an overall response to COVID-19 taking into account available information.”

The EU states that the overall response must include “aspects such as testing, surveillance, contact tracing, containment, treatment and reporting, as well as the reliability of the information and, if needed, the total average score for International Health Regulations (IHR)”.

The EU Commission adopted measures for the gradual lifting of the restriction on non-essential travel into the EU as of 1 July 2020 after several months of complete restrictions for all countries, according to the release.

It added that “discussions have since then taken place between member states on the criteria and methodology to be applied” to relax the restrictions for countries that are flatten the curve of infections.

With Liberia excluded from the list, only EU citizens and their family members, long-term EU residents and their family members, travelers with essential function or need and Schengen associated countries.

Liberia has recorded a total of 957 confirmed cases with 517 of these being active cases – as of July 8, according to Liberia’s Public Health Institute (NPHIL). Forty-two people have died from the virus while 398 persons have recovered.

Experts say the country’s coronavirus stats are significantly low as compare to many other African countries including the four included on the EU list.

But there has been a sharp surge in the number of confirmed cases in recent weeks.  Between July 1 and July 8, NPHIL stats show that the country has recorded 172 cases.

Data recorded between March 16, when Liberia recorded its first confirmed case, and June 23, show that the country recorded a total confirmed case of 366. Comparing this figure (366) with the ones recorded in the last one week (172), shows that there is over 40% increment in the number of confirmed cases in one week.

Dr. Mosoka Fallah, Director General of NPHIL, justifies that the surge in cases is because more tests are being done – which, public health experts suggest it is the first step to tackling the spread of the respiratory infection.

The World Health Organization suggests that testing must be accompanied with meticulous isolation and treatment of patients while also calling on people to continue following other basic preventive health measures like frequent hand washing, wearing face covering and practicing social distancing.

In Liberia, there are growing apprehensions that the country’s’ response mechanism is not robust enough to withstand more than 2,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases – a situation that might be compounded by already lingering concerns that the government restrictions and health protocols are not being followed.

Take Rwanda for example, one of four African countries on the list, it is being hailed for an effective and robust response against the pandemic.

According to the John Hopkins University, the East African nation has 1,194 confirmed cases as of July 9 – this is 237 cases more than Liberia’s total confirmed cases although the West Africa nation recorded deaths (42) have dwarfed Rwanda’s three deaths.

Despite recording more cases, Rwanda’s inclusion on the EU list ahead of Liberia evinces the quality of its response efforts against the pandemic.  

After the first positive COVID-19 case was confirmed on March 8 in Rwanda, the government formed and implemented a robust nationwide response.

The country’s timely reaction is being aided by its previous success in combating Ebola from entering its borders in 2019. Rwanda’s Ministry of Health established handwashing stations and temperature check for anyone entering the country, closed all its borders, health workers equipped with fever scanners were assigned in communities deemed as high risk area and hand washing stations were setup at public bus stations in Kigali.

Like Rwanda, Liberia has attempted replicating its Ebola approach but has fallen short of ensuring its effectiveness. There have been inklings about corruption, speculations of infight amongst top government health officials and limited community mobilization. These are factors that have undercut the country’s response effort, observers say.

Considering the criteria set by the EU for country to be removed from its travel restriction, which place emphasis on a country’s epidemiological situation and containment measures, Liberia stands a slim chance of reaching the milestone in the next two weeks when the next list will be released by the EU.

With the Roberts International Airport now reopen and cases predicted to increase, Liberians hoping to make trips to European countries will have to wait a little longer.

Monrovia – In the wake of the enormous challenges posed by the devastating economic effects of COVID-19, the Government of Liberia is committed to ensuring the success of the Pro-poor agenda, says Samora P. Z. Wolokolie, Liberia’s Deputy Finance Minister for Fiscal Affairs.

“The Government of Liberia has drafted an economic recovery plan with the objective of ensuring that the fundamentals of the economy are strengthened. This recovery plan will touch every sector or the economy with the expectation that business will rebound from the effects of the pandemic,” he said at the special Edward Wilmot Blyden Forum organized by the Press Union of Liberia on June 29  at the YMCA.

The forum that features a panel of epidemiologist, politician, anti-graft, and a civil society actor, discussed the social, economic and health impact of COVID-19 on the country.

Minister Wolokolie, who predicted the far-reaching impact of the pandemic on the country’s economy, also postulated several concepts that aimed at to resuscitate an economy that was already ravaged before Covid-19.

“While there is no consensus among economists and policy makers about how long it would take for economies around the world to recover, we in Liberia are proceeding with the understanding that with a proper mix of fiscal and monetary policies, Liberia’s economy can be returned to pre-COVID levels in a relatively short period,” Wolokolie said.

The ambitious and optimistic Wolokolie then outline the “core pillars” for the recovery plan, which he said includes protecting “embryonic economic recovery after almost two years of macroeconomic volatility; provide critical support to health and related sectors directly dealing with the pandemic; and protect the soundness of the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP) and the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) which were placing the country on a path to recovery and growth” before the pandemic.

The Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs also mentioned “secure national budget credibility and shelter national budget execution from COVID-19 expenditure derailment and providing stimulus relief for key sectors hardest hit by the pandemic” as part of the core pillars of the COVID-19 recovery plan.

Liberia has recorded 780 confirmed cases with 420 being active case and a total of 36 recorded deaths as of June 30. President George Weah recently extended the State of Emergency by 30 days and adjusted the lockdown time from 9pm to 6pm in a bid to flatten the curve.

In early June, the government relaxed some restrictions which appear like the country was nearing a full opening-up for economic activities but when cases began to increase, the government then back track a little.

However, plans to reopen the Roberts International Airport has gone ahead despite a one-week delay. Experts have warned that a Western-style lockdown is not applicable in Liberia and might become more devastating for African economies in Liberia’s.

Amid these economic concerns, Minister Wolokolie was cognizant that trade and investment disruptions have hit bigger economies the hardest, causing massive decline and creating challenges for small economies like Liberia’s including local manufacturers that rely on imports.

“The Government of Liberia has drafted an economic recovery plan with the objective of ensuring that the fundamentals of the economy are strengthened. This recovery plan will touch every sector or the economy with the expectation that business will rebound from the effects of the pandemic.”

– Samora P. Z. Wolokolie, Liberia’s Deputy Finance Minister for Fiscal Affairs.

Due to low collection of revenue, the government has “less money available to spend on health, education and critical infrastructure, as overhead and debt payments are usually prioritized during crises,” he said, adding that “decrease in spending could be very bad for a country that already has one of the worst health outcomes worldwide” amid unending concerns of the extreme poverty that continues to ravage a large number of the country’s population.

However, Minister Woloklie is optimistic that the government is opting to tackle the fallout from the pandemic in two-fold: focusing on immediate priorities and implementing reforms to boost resilience beyond the crisis.

Mentioning the health response, he said, support is going toward the sector “through adequate funding, incentives for health workers, and healthcare subsidies for the most vulnerable people”.

“Through targeted tax incentives, social transfers, and regulatory support, the Liberian government helps minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable businesses and citizens,” he said of the economic response, adding that the government is working with informal groups “to deliver monetary support to people in vulnerable employment”.

At the same time, the Deputy Minister said the government has reduced the cost of governance by cutting down administrative costs and prioritizing the most effective development programs.

“This will free up more money for health and education spending, as well as infrastructural spending and the build-up of fiscal buffers to improve the country’s resilience,” he assured.

“Similarly, reducing the misuse of public finances through commitment to transparency, opening up budgets, and strengthening anti-corruption institutions will be a priority during and post COVID-19.”

He also assured that government’s policy makers are “responsive to lessen the effects of the impending social and economic crises and better prepare” the country for life after COVID-19.

As part of a continental plan which includes Liberia, Minister Wolokolie said, “the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is currently coordinating African finance ministers to mobilize US$100 billion financial support across Africa.”

Monrovia – Liberia has moved up to Tier 2 of the United States’ human trafficking report after being on the Tier 2 Watch List for three years.

According to a release from the US Embassy in Monrovia, “the Government of Liberia has demonstrated sufficient progress to be elevated” after evaluation by the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIPs). 

“This outcome reflects the dedicated efforts of the Government of Liberia to fight human trafficking, as well as the achievements possible through U.S.-Liberia partnership,” the release dated June 25 stated, adding that the two nations are “working together”.

Liberia’s progress in the latest TIPs report means a sanction that would have seen the country miss out on over US$100 million in non-humanitarian aid has been significantly averted.

Last year, the US government became very outspoken about Liberia’s underwhelming performance against human trafficking, which is notorious as modern-day slavery.

A visit to Liberia by U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking-in-Persons (TIPs) John Cotton Richmond in September last year saw a massive shift in the West African nation’s response against TIPs.

It happened after Ambassador Richmond held talks with President Geroge Weah and other government officials, who then pledged support for increased efforts against human trafficking.  

At the time, the State Department stressed improvements in the existence of a verifiable action plan accompanied by a referral mechanism; the provision of a budgetary allotment to combat trafficking in persons; increased prosecution and willingness to investigate cases which could identify potential victims; and coordinated leadership on tackling  trafficking.

Earlier, a 2019 report revealed that Liberia was not fully meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, although it also hinted that the government was making “significant efforts” like “supporting victims during trial by providing transportation, security, and shelter; organizing public awareness events with high-level officials; and training more law enforcement officials on identifying and investigating trafficking.”

Those inroads have now paid off as reflected in the 2020 report, which shows that Liberia has exhibited “a steadfast willingness to tackle the problem of human trafficking—especially domestic forced labor of children—by reinvigorating the Trafficking in Persons Task Force, led by the Ministry of Labor”.

The release also added that the country is increasing investigations, increasing the identification of victims, and providing budgetary support to anti-trafficking efforts. 

“These successes required the sustained cooperation of investigators, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and trainers, and labor officials, and show that even under difficult circumstances, when resources appear scarce, the public sector and civil society can work together to protect citizens and promote accountability,”  the release said.

The Embassy lauded the Ministry of Labor including the TIPs Task Force, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, the Liberia Immigration Service, the Liberia National Police (LNP), the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, the Ministry of Justice, and the LNP Transnational Crimes Unit, and civil society organizations and human rights organizations, among others for working to tackle human trafficking in Liberia.

“That support has encouraged police, immigration, and border officials to investigate possible crimes, social workers to place child victims in shelters, and prosecutors to take up cases,” the release added

“These are important first steps, and the Embassy looks forward to working alongside the member agencies of the Trafficking in Persons Task Force as they continue to improve their ability to combat human trafficking and child labor.”

Responding to the new report, the MOL said that the progress puts Liberia in a better position to “retain access to US government’s development aid including Millennium Challenge Corporation, USAID and other Departments that reach out directly like DARPA that is working on NPHIL’s headquarters.”

Recounting some of the government’s efforts against human trafficking, Deputy Minister of Labor for Manpower Development, Phil Dixon said many practical steps were taken to thwart internal and external trafficking activities.

“On multiple occasions, the LIS has foiled attempts to traffic Sierra Leoneans, using our territory, with two of those occasions having more than 15 potential victims,” wrote Minister Dixon in a text message to FrontPageAfrica.

“On another occasion, the Government of Liberia rescued a Nigerian who had been trafficked to Ivory Coast, after she was told that the Liberian authorities at the border were her only option for safety. She is now in her country.”