Liberia: President Boakai Hails the Kingdom of Belgium on its National Day Observance
According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Boakai, on behalf of the Republic of Liberia and in his own name, extended warmest congratulations and best wishes to the Kingdom of Belgium as they commemorate their National Day.
The Liberian leader indicated that the occasion provides an opportunity to celebrate the enduring values of unity, democracy and prosperity that Belgium has long upheld.
He noted that his government cherishes the long-lasting bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two nations which is built on mutual respect and shared aspirations for peace, development and global solidarity.
President Boakai stressed that as the Belgian people mark this important day, Liberia joins in honoring their rich history, cultural heritage and remarkable achievements.
'May the future bring continued progress, united, and the well-being to your nation and people', the Liberia President stated.
He then extended best wishes for His Majesty personal well-being, and for the people of Belgium sustained prosperity.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
35 minutes ago
- Zawya
Cabinet meeting reviews preliminary outlines of Tunisia's 2026 Economic Balance
Tunis – A Cabinet meeting was held on Tuesday, chaired by Prime Minister Sarra Zaâfrani Zenzri, to review the preliminary outlines of the 2026 Economic Balance. The cabinet examined key indicators of the current economic situation and the main features of the 2026 development model. The primary goal is to reinforce the foundations of the social state while ensuring social justice, notably through increased care for vulnerable and low-income groups, facilitating their economic integration, and improving their living conditions. The second key indicator pertains to employment and reducing the unemployment rate, notably by creating new recruitment opportunities in the public sector during 2026 and regularising several administrative situations. A third focus is regional development investment, relying on outcomes from local, regional, and district councils in the context of the preparation of the 2026–2030 Development Plan. Other strategic priorities include boosting public investment as a driver of private investment, supporting communitarian companies and small and medium-sized enterprises, investing in the health, transport, and education sectors, promoting renewable energy, integrating the informal economy, and restructuring and reforming public institutions. Additional indicators involve renewing the industrial fabric and developing industrial policies tied to both the domestic and African markets, adopting an industrial strategy that integrates innovation and modern technologies, improving economic competitiveness, enhancing the business climate, and upgrading infrastructure, with incentives for the industrial, commercial, tourism, transport, and communication sectors. The cabinet recommended accelerating the drafting of the 2026 Economic Balance, based on field data collected during local, regional, and district consultations within the framework of the 2026–2030 development plan. The plan should ensure a balance between economic growth and social justice, and be aligned with both the Development Plan and the 2026 Finance Law, in keeping with the state's economic and social programme. Opening the session, Prime Minister Sarra Zaâfrani Zenzri pointed out that the 2026 Economic Balance is a 'central pillar in implementing the State's economic and social policies and strategic choices,' serving as a tool to build 'a new economic and social model that reconciles economic growth and social equity, in line with the vision of the President of the Republic.' She described the Economic Balance as a guiding document grounded in the work of local, regional, and district councils within the 2026–2030 development plan. It sets out the main assumptions regarding economic and social balance based on a fair and inclusive approach, aimed at enabling Tunisia's transition to a productive and sovereign national economy. The PM emphasised that the 2026 Economic Balance is part of a 'new participatory approach' that ensures complementarity and coherence between the economic balance, the 2026 State budget, and the 2026–2030 development plan. This new approach, she underlined, is built from the bottom up, starting locally, then regionally, then at the national level, in accordance with the President's vision, and represents a break from previous models that had failed to achieve justice and fairness. © Tap 2025 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Uganda: Forensic Bill re-introduced with expanded scope
Parliament has received a fresh and expanded version of the forensic science legislation now titled the Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill, 2025. The Bill tabled for First Reading on Tuesday, 29 July 2025 by the State Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi replaces the earlier Forensic Evidence Bill, 2024 which was formally withdrawn in February after consultations revealed the need for significant changes that would alter its original intent. The new bill introduces a far-reaching legal framework aimed at regulating forensic and scientific analytical services in Uganda. It proposes the formal establishment of the Government Analytical Laboratory (GAL) as the national referral centre for forensic and scientific investigations and designates it as the country's National Poison Information Centre. The Bill also introduces an independent regulatory arm within the Ministry of Internal Affairs known as the Department of Inspection and Legal Services to oversee forensic services nationwide. 'This revised legislation aligns key areas of forensic science regulation, expands institutional responsibilities and ensures proper oversight,' Muhoozi told the House earlier this year while explaining the withdrawal of the previous version. The original Bill introduced in November 2024 focused primarily on regulating DNA profiling and the handling of body samples for use in criminal investigations. It also proposed the establishment of a National DNA Database to be managed by the Directorate of the Government Analytical Laboratory. However, the revised Bill goes beyond this limited scope to create a comprehensive system for regulating scientific evidence, laboratory practices, and data protection. Under the new proposal, the Government Analytical Laboratory is not only mandated to carry out forensic analysis in traditional areas such as DNA, toxicology and questioned documents, but is also expected to operate in emerging fields including cybercrime, environmental samples, and food and drug safety. The Bill allows for the establishment of regional analytical laboratories to decentralise services and improve access across the country. The Bill sets out procedures for the collection, use and secure storage of body samples such as blood, saliva and hair, which must be obtained with informed consent or through a court order. It establishes a forensic and scientific database that encompasses a broader range of information than the DNA only system proposed in 2024. The database will be governed by strict access controls and any unauthorised use or disclosure will attract serious penalties. The Department of Inspection and Legal Services will serve as the new regulatory body with powers to licence, inspect and sanction forensic laboratories. Inspectors will be able to enter premises, issue correction directives and even order temporary closure of non-compliant facilities. Laboratories must register and obtain annual licenses, and those operating without one face fines of up to 500 currency points or imprisonment of up to three years. The Government Analytical Laboratory will also take on a new role as the National Poison Information Centre tasked with coordinating poisoning incidents, conducting related analyses and maintaining a national database of poisoning cases. The Bill also introduces penalties for offences ranging from falsifying analysis results to obstructing inspectors or disclosing confidential forensic data without authorisation. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Cameroon: Main Opposition Candidate Barred from Elections
The decision by Cameroon's electoral board to exclude Maurice Kamto, a key opposition leader and challenger to incumbent President Paul Biya, from the country's upcoming presidential elections raises concerns about the credibility of the electoral process, Human Rights Watch said today. On July 26, 2025, Cameroon's Election Commission (ELECAM) approved 13 out of 83 prospective candidates, including the 92-year-old Biya, who has been running the country since 1982. Elections are scheduled for October 12. Excluded candidates had 72 hours to appeal the decision to the constitutional council. 'The election commission has raised doubt on an election before the votes are even cast,' said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. 'Excluding the most popular opponent from the electoral process will leave a shadow over whatever results are eventually announced.' The decision to bar Kamto from the presidential race reflects the government's long-standing intolerance for any opposition and dissent and comes amid an increased crackdown on opponents, activists, and lawyers since mid-2014, ahead of elections later this year. The commission justified its decision to exclude Kamto, saying it was because the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (Mouvement africain pour la nouvelle indépendance et la démocratie, MANIDEM), the party that sponsored him, was also sponsoring another candidate, Dieudonné Yebga. However, Kamto's lawyers and Anicet Ekane, the party's president, said MANIDEM was not sponsoring Yebga and that the decision is arbitrary and politically motivated. The party sought to hold a news conference at its headquarters in Douala, Cameroon's largest city, but security forces shut it down. Kamto, who used to be the leader of the opposition party Cameroon Renaissance Movement (Mouvement pour la renaissance du Cameroun, MRC) and had already challenged Biya in the 2018 elections, sought to run as MANIDEM's candidate for this year's election because the Cameroonian electoral code bars parties with no elected officials from sponsoring a candidate. Kamto's lawyers have appealed the election commission's decision and filed a petition with the Constitutional Council on July 28. Yebga also announced that he will appeal to the Constitutional Council. 'ELECAM's decision has no legal basis and only aims at eliminating a key challenger from the elections, supporting the ruling party's long-term strategy of power confiscation,' Menkem Sother, a member of Kamto's legal team, told Human Rights Watch. Biya is serving out his seventh term. He was last reelected in 2018, after which Kamto challenged the official results and declared himself winner of the election. Biya's 2018 election sparked a wave of political repression. After the vote, opposition-led protests erupted across the country, and the government responded with a heavy crackdown deploying the police, army, and gendarmes who used excessive force against protesters. In January 2019, Kamto and over 200 of his supporters were arrested and detained. Kamto was charged with insurrection, hostility against the homeland, and criminal association, among other charges. He was freed on October 5, 2019, and the charges were dropped, though the crackdown on the opposition continued. In early September 2020, the authorities banned demonstrations across Cameroon after Kamto's MRC encouraged people to protest the government's decision to call regional elections for that December. Opposition parties had expressed concerns that the elections could not be conducted freely and fairly without reforming the electoral code and addressing the lack of security in the country's minority Anglophone regions, where separatist groups and security forces have repeatedly clashed. On September 22, 2020, Cameroonian security forces fired tear gas and water cannons and arrested over 550 people, mainly MRC members and supporters, to disperse peaceful protests across the country. Many of those arrested were beaten and mistreated. While the majority of them were eventually released, others including Olivier Bibou Nissack and Alain Fogue Tedom, two MRC leaders, remain behind bars after being sentenced to seven years in prison. In December 2023, Kamto announced the creation of the Political Alliance for Change, an opposition coalition led by Jean-Michel Nintcheu, a member of Cameroon's parliament. In March 2024, the territorial administration minister banned the coalition, saying it was 'illegal,' and 'clandestine.' Cameroon is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and as such is required to ensure that every citizen, without discrimination on the basis of political opinion, has the opportunity to take part and vote in genuinely free elections. The United Nations Human Rights Committee has found that 'freedom of expression, assembly and association are essential conditions for the effective exercise of the right to vote and must be fully protected.' 'The Election Commission's decision de facto reduces the upcoming vote to a mere formality, buries what remains of Cameroon's democracy, and triggers fears of renewed violence,' Allegrozzi said. 'The commission should reverse its decision and allow Cameroonians to decide their own future.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).
