The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr, has by Proclamation declared Tuesday, April 23, 2024, as By-Election Day and is to be observed as a National Holiday only in Nimba County and Electoral District #1, Grand Gedeh County, which are to hold the By-Elections.

According to a Foreign release, the Proclamation calls on citizens and foreign residents within Nimba County and Electoral District #1, Grand Gedeh County to respect, specifically this National Holiday and directs government offices, business houses, private and public institutions of learning and marketplaces in the affected locations to be closed on that day from six o’ clock ante meridian to six o’ clock post meridian. 

The Proclamation stresses that the Government of the Republic of Liberia is desirous of ensuring the unhindered movement of all eligible voters, granting unto them the opportunity to exercise their constitutional franchise in Nimba County and Electoral District #1, Grand Gedeh County in a peaceful manner on the day of election.

Two vacancies have been created in the Legislature, one in the Senate because of Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung’s election as Vice President following the October 10, 2023, Presidential Elections, and the other, as a result of the death of Representative Erol Madison Gwion, from Electoral District #1, Grand Gedeh County.

In fulfillment of Article 37 of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, the presiding officer of the Senate on January 31, 2024, through the Secretary of the Senate, informed the National Elections Commission of a vacancy in the Senate, affecting Nimba County, and the presiding officer of the Honorable House of Representatives through its Chief Clerk on February 2, 2024, informed the National Elections Commission of a vacancy in the House of Representatives, affecting Electoral District #1, Grand Gedeh County.

According to the Presidential Proclamation, article 37 of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia provides that in the event of a vacancy in the Legislature caused by death, resignation, expulsion or otherwise, the Presiding Officer shall within 30 days notify the Elections Commission thereof, the Elections Commission shall not later than 90 days thereafter cause a by-election to be held, provided that where such vacancy occurs within ninety days prior to the holding of general elections, the filling of the vacancy shall await the holding of such general elections.

The Proclamation further stresses that these by-elections are in consonance with Article 45 and 48 of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia. Article 45 provides that the Senate shall be composed of Senators elected for a term of nine years by the registered voters in each of the counties, but a Senator elected in a by-election to fill a vacancy created by death, resignation, expulsion or otherwise, shall be so elected to serve only the remainder of the unexpired term of office. Each county shall elect two Senators and each Senator shall have one vote in the Senate. Senators shall be eligible for re-election.

Article 48  also states that “The House of Representatives shall be composed of members elected for a term of six years by the registered voters in each of the legislative constituencies of the counties, but a member of the House of Representatives elected in a by-election to fill a vacancy created by death, resignation, expulsion or otherwise, shall be elected to serve only the remainder of the  unexpired term of the office, Members of the House of Representatives shall be eligible for reelection.

The Proclamation furthers that the National Elections Commission has scheduled the holding of the By-Elections for a Senator in Nimba County and a Representative in Electoral District #1, Grand Gedeh County on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.

HE Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater met today with HE Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to the State of Qatar Mohammed Al-Amin Salman.

During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the two countries, especially in the fields of economy, health, education and development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Finance Dr. Mohamed Maait, and Minister of Transport Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir.

The Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, said the meeting reviewed the implementation status of the investment plan for the transportation sector projects. The President was briefed on efforts to develop the railway system, rehabilitate and develop the Greater Cairo metro lines, in addition to projects for the construction, modernization, and operation of ports across the country in partnership with a number of global companies. The meeting also followed up on the latest with regard to the government’s efforts to localize industries related to the transport sector in Egypt by establishing partnerships with the private sector and attracting foreign investment in this field.

President El-Sisi gave directives to continue efforts aimed at improving the localization of industry in Egypt in the transport sector and increasing the percentage of the local component by intensifying ongoing work to provide the necessary facilitations in this regard, which will help implement the state’s strategy to strengthen the national industry in productive fields and achieve maximum benefit from the advanced infrastructure that has been constructed and modernized in various sectors across the republic. In this context, the President gave directives to expedite the completion of the construction and development of maritime, land, and dry ports, as well as logistic zones, to encourage transit trade and develop Egyptian exports, ultimately transforming Egypt into a regional hub for transportation and transit trade. This shall provide more distinguished job opportunities for citizens and drive comprehensive economic and social development efforts.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

“Today, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen, we are witnessing a global and collective failure to protect civilians in armed conflicts” says ICRC president Mirjana Splojaric. Statement for the first international follow-up conference to review implementation of the Political Declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas on Tuesday 23 April 2024 in Oslo (Sweden).”

“Today, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen, we are witnessing a global and collective failure to protect civilians in armed conflicts” says ICRC’s president Mirjana Splojaric. Statement for the first international follow-up conference to review implementation of the Political Declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas on Tuesday 23 April 2024.

The human toll of these wars, exacerbated by the use of heavy explosive weapons in populated areas, is unacceptable.

Heavy explosive weapons put at risk everyone – children, women and men – and everything – homes, schools and hospitals – within their wide impact areas often extending well beyond their target. In urban environments where military objectives, civilians and civilian objects are commingled, the results are devastating. The ICRC teams on the ground have seen scores of civilians killed or injured, often left with permanent disabilities or serious mental trauma. Cities are reduced to rubble, with homes, infrastructures, schools and cultural sites destroyed. People’s means of earning a living are wiped out. Services essential for human survival collapse, leaving entire populations without access to water, sanitation, electricity or health care – causing more death and disease, triggering displacement and setting development back decades.

The ICRC has witnessed the human cost of war and heavy explosive weapons rising over the past two years. It has become intolerable.

Importantly, it raises serious questions about how states and non-state armed groups using such weapons are interpreting and applying the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL) that govern the conduct of hostilities. These IHL rules are all about protecting civilians from the deadly dangers of hostilities. They stem from the cardinal principle of distinction that requires all parties to a conflict to distinguish at all times between the civilian population and combatants, and between civilian objects and military objectives. Attacks must not be directed against civilians or civilian objects, and indiscriminate attacks are prohibited.

Furthermore, the principles of proportionality and precaution afford protection to civilians and civilian objects against the danger of being incidentally harmed by attacks against military objectives. In the conduct of military operations, constant care must be taken to spare the civilian population and civilian objects. Attacks are prohibited when they may be expected to cause incidental harm to civilians and civilian objects that would be excessive or could be avoided or minimized.

And yet, we see exceptions to IHL being made that strip entire categories of people of their protection. We see transactional and reciprocal arguments invoked in an attempt to justify unacceptable interpretations of proportionality, feasible precautions not being taken and other non-compliant behaviors. We see military necessity being increasingly emphasized to the detriment of sparing civilian lives, with far too little regard being paid to the protective purpose of IHL. As parties to armed conflicts interpret these tenets of international humanitarian law with increased elasticity, they set a dangerous precedent with tragic consequences for all.

On the contrary, these principles and rules must be faithfully complied with at all times by all parties in all armed conflicts, including when using explosive weapons in populated areas.

In this respect, we commend the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas for stressing the importance of full compliance with IHL as a means to protect civilians and civilian objects and to avoid, and in any event minimize, civilian harm.

While there is no general prohibition under IHL against using heavy explosive weapons in populated areas, their use in these areas is very likely to have indiscriminate effects, and, depending on the circumstances, IHL rules may well prohibit such use. This underpins the long-standing call by the ICRC and the broader International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to all states and non-state armed groups that are parties to armed conflicts to avoid the use of heavy explosive weapons in populated areas. These weapons should not be used in populated areas unless sufficient mitigation measures can be taken to limit their wide area effects and the consequent risk of civilian harm.

In this regard, the declaration is a groundbreaking achievement. It acknowledges the profound suffering inflicted by these weapons and is the first instrument expressly committing states to curb their use.

The declaration recognizes that, beyond compliance with the law, effectively protecting civilians requires states and parties to armed conflicts to review and improve national policy and practice with regard to the protection of civilians during armed conflict involving the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

The ICRC welcomes this political commitment. The daily reminders from around the world of the devastation caused by urban warfare highlight the declaration’s relevance and urgency. However, in the reality of armed conflicts, we must soberly acknowledge that the declaration’s life-saving potential will only materialize if:

all endorsing states implement the declaration – in letter and spirit
all parties to armed conflict, including non-state armed groups, fully adhere to its commitments, and
all warring parties interpret IHL, including its rules on the conduct of hostilities, in good faith, as the protective body of law it is meant to be.

Words matter. Political pledges matter. Yet they offer scant consolation to civilians worldwide enduring the horrors of bombardment. What is urgently needed is tangible, on-the-ground change. We call on you all to take concrete steps, here in Oslo and when back in your capitals, to make this change.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).