United States Embassy (Abidjan)
27 November 2007
This daily press review is compiled by the Information Section of the Public Affairs Office of the American Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
1. News reports in today's Ivoirian press say President Laurent Gbagbo and his Prime Minister Guillaume Soro are due to travel to Ouagadougou to meet President Blaise Compaore - facilitator in the Ivoirian peace process -- in an attempt to unravel the stalemate that occurred during the last meeting of the committee overseeing the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement.
2. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): According to the paper, President Gbagbo and his Prime Minister Soro are expected today in the Burkinabe capital to meet President Compaore in order to evaluate, redefine priorities, and accelerate the peace process underway in Cote d'Ivoire, in accordance with the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. Citing well informed sources, the paper indicates that Gbagbo and Soro would "sign two supplement agreements during their meeting in Ouagadougou."
3. The first agreement, hints Fraternite Matin, would resolve the sticky issue regarding "the choice" of a technical operator charged with the establishment of new Ivoirian identity cards and voting cards that would be used during the upcoming presidential elections. The second agreement, explains the paper, would focus on new calendar that would seek to accomplish the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement through the organization of the presidential election before October 2008.
4. President Gbagbo, speaking to supporters over the weekend, is quoted by Fraternite Matin as saying, "I'm really looking forward to going to elections." In a related development, the new boss of the United Nations Operations in Cote d'Ivoire, Y.J Choi told the paper that: "I'm here [Cote d'Ivoire] to take up the challenge." According to Fraternite Matin, the UN Secretary General's representative in Cote d'Ivoire was speaking yesterday in Abidjan during a meeting with foreign ambassadors, political leaders, and heads of international organizations. "My mandate is to serve the Ivoirian people... My mission is to help Ivoirians reconcile with peace and prosperity," Y.J Choi is reported as saying.
5. As President Gbagbo and his Premier are set for a new round of negotiations today in Ouagadougou, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) announces that the upcoming presidential election in Cote d'Ivoire would be held in "June 2008." The paper also tells readers that, "The French group SAGEM has been confirmed as the technical operator, which will make the Ivorian national identity cards as well as the voters' cards ahead of the next elections." "These would be the major decisions in the supplement agreement that Gbagbo and Soro would sign in the Burkinabe capital," indicates the paper.
6. Le Rebond (a daily close to PDCI-RDA party): The paper carries a front-page story explaining that, "By refusing to sign the supplement agreement in Ouagadougou last week, the New Forces thwarted an electoral hold-up designed to be executed by the ruling FPI party." The paper is optimistic that the supplement agreement termed "Ouaga II" would be signed today.
7. In a separate development, L'inter (a privately-owned daily) announces that the IMF will financially support the peace process underway in Cote d'Ivoire at the tune of "31 billion Francs CFA." This money, which will be disbursed in 2008, represents the second part of IMF's contributions to back the peace process.
8. A front-page story in L'inter says, "530 gendarmes refuse to go to Korhogo to ensure the security of President Gbagbo during his visit to the north." According to the paper "the disgruntled gendarmes claim that the allowances that they will be receiving during the visit of Gbagbo are not consistent."
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