Diplomatic Briefing
Your exclusive news aggregator handpicked daily!Archive for Liberia
Newsline: U.S. ambassador to Liberia promotes gay rights
The U.S. ambassador to Liberia said she was surprised to learn that gay rights are an issue in the West African nation, where homosexuality is illegal and lawmakers are considering tougher penalties for same-sex relationships. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who is ending her tour in Monrovia after more than three years, repeated U.S. policy toward homosexuals as she gave farewell interviews to reporters last week. “I support the issue of human rights for every person regardless of their orientation, their race or nationality,” she said. “I strongly believe that gay rights are human rights. “I was surprised to hear that this is an issue in Liberia,” Mrs. Thomas-Greenfield, a career diplomat, told the Daily Observer newspaper. The ambassador insisted that U.S. aid to Liberia is not connected to Liberia’s position on gay rights. Washington provides Liberia about $200 million a year in aid, she said. The Liberian Senate is considering a bill to declare same-sex marriage illegal and homosexual acts a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Current law treats homosexual acts as a misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of up to a year in jail.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/28/embassy-row-gays-in-liberia/
Newsline: French envoy in Liberia denies sex scam claims
France’s ambassador to Liberia is struggling to clear his name in a sex scandal involving street girls. The diplomat has, through Press statement, asked the Liberian Foreign ministry to take “necessary actions” against journalists he accused of publishing “false and misleading information” about him, regarding his alleged involvement in a sex scandal that could cause a rift between Monrovia and Paris. The ambassador is accused of sexually enslaving two Liberian girls whom he met at a popular local entertainment centre called ‘Red Lion’ in Monrovia. A few of Monrovia’s dailies on Monday and Tuesday reported that the two Liberian girls had alleged that the ambassador had hired them for $400 but failed to pay the full amount after an advance of $100. “As a diplomat representing another country, this is damaging to my private life and my work as ambassador,” the ambassador said at a press conference in Monrovia on Wednesday. Prostitution is illegal in the West African country.
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/French+envoy+in+Liberia+denies+sex+scam+claims+/-/1066/1323418/-/3frl4/-/
Newsline: President Sirleaf Opens New Liberian Embassy in Kuwait
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf opened the new Embassy of the Republic of Liberia near Kuwait City, heralding the start of a strengthened bilateral relationship between the State of Kuwait and Liberia. In remarks made at the opening ceremony, the President said she was pleased that the relationship had been “reactivated,” and that the two countries could now “begin to rebuild upon that historic and important relationship,” and together promote the development of Africa and strong partnership and relationship between the Arab States and the African continent.
Newsline: Sweden to close six embassies, open 10 new ones
The Swedish government said it would close six Swedish embassies, including five in Europe, this year and open 10 new embassies. Embassies facing closure were based in European Union members Bulgaria, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, and Slovenia. “Within the framework of the close cooperation that exists between the EU member states, there is scope for developing new forms for maintaining bilateral contacts in future,” Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said. Meanwhile, Sweden is to upgrade its missions in Albania, Kosovo, Georgia and Moldova to embassies. The sixth embassy to be closed was in Dakar, Senegal, while section offices were to be upgraded in Senegal’s West African neighbours Burkina Faso, Liberia and Mali as well as Rwanda, Bolivia and Cambodia.
Newsline: Liberian Govt. Battles to Reclaim Several Sold Embassies
The Liberian Government has confirmed the “criminal sales” of several of its embassies abroad, launching a legal battle to reclaim them. Liberian embassies in Paris, Nairobi and London have all been reportedly sold by former Foreign Service officials. The Liberian Government has instituted a legal team to collaborate with the Foreign Ministry to fight a legal battle to claim these properties and bring to book those behind the “criminal” act. The sale of these government properties abroad was not done by foreign Service officials alone, but in collaboration with officials of the Foreign Ministry back home. The war left Liberia’s foreign mission in serious flops and huge indebtedness.
