United States Embassy (Abidjan)
30 November 2007
press release
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. Reports on President Laurent Gbagbo's visit in the North of Cote d'Ivoire, the upcoming elections, and the supplementary Ouagadougou Agreement are today's key topics in the Ivoirian press.
2. In Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily), a front-page headline reads: "Mobilization and dismantling of militias groups on December 22, 2007 at the latest; back pay of New Forces soldiers, Gbagbo and Soro signed yesterday in Korhogo the supplementary Ouagadougou Agreement." According to the paper, the envoy of the Ouagadougou Agreement facilitator was received yesterday by President Gbagbo and his Prime Minister Soro. The paper says the envoy brought with him the supplementary agreement that was signed later by Gbagbo and Soro.
The paper also reports that in that Accord, it has been decided by the two parties to begin the mobilization of ex-combatants as well as start their recruitment into the Civil service beginning December 22, 2007. According to the paper, in order to facilitate the demobilization and reinsertion process, the two parties have agreed to pay monthly basic allowances to ex-combatants until their reinsertion or their integration in the new security and defense forces or in the civil life is completed.
3. In Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition), a front-page says: Identification, demobilization and reinsertion, elections, civic service are contained in the documents of the Ouagadougou Accord that were signed by Gbagbo and Soro yesterday. According to the paper, the demobilization of ex-combatants will re-start on December 22. However, the question about the New Forces members' grades is yet to be resolved.
The paper also reports that in order to give full impact to the terms and conditions included in the agreement, the two parties have decided to launch the operation of the reconstitution of lost or destroyed registrations of births before the end of December 2007. This operation will be done concomitantly with the identification public hearings.
4. In 24 Heures (a daily close to the opposition), a front-page headline says: "Five years back pay and integration into the army, the war lords triumph in Ouaga." According to the paper, this time, the war lords are in honor. The statement of the Ouagadougou Agreement read yesterday in Korhogo shows the extent of tasks and the triumph of former soldiers of Cote d'Ivoire National Army. The former soldiers will be integrated in the new army with a good bonus. The State of Cote d'Ivoire will pay back the salaries of those former soldiers who became members of the New Forces.
Additionally, the paper says as for the youth of RHDP (the opposition coalition) the real peace is the one that comes from ballot boxes. According to the paper, the president of the former PDCI ruling party who was talking yesterday at a meeting about Gbagbo's visit in the North, reminded the two signatories of the Ouagadougou Agreement that the real peace that will deliver Ivoirians is the one that comes from ballot boxes through fair and transparent elections.
5. In Le Patriote (a daily close to RDR), a front-page story says: "Ouaga sets dates at long last. August 7, 2008, Cote d'Ivoire independence day will be celebrated by the new elected president". The paper says it is the end of suspense for those who doubted of the sincerity of the Ouagadougou Agreement signatories to organize elections in reseanable deadlines. According to the paper, the Burkinabe Foreign Minister arrived yesterday in Korhogo to get the supplementary agreement signed by President Gbagbo and his Prime Minister Soro. In an interview he is quoted as saying: "We will make sure that the new deadlines are respected."
6. In L'Inter (an independent daily), a front-page story says: "Peace Process, the supplementary Ouagadougou Agreements signed yesterday in Korhogo; the military will go back to their barracks as of December 22, 2007; the war lords will return in the army". According to the paper the supplementary agreement says the two ex-belligerents decided that the demobilization of ex-combatants, the storage of arms and the dismantling of militias will start on December 22 under the supervision of the Integrated Center of Command (CCI) and the impartial forces. The paper also says that to make the ex-combatants' demobilization operational, the two parties decided to start the recruitment for civil service on December 22, as well.
7. In Soir Info (an independent daily), a front-page headline says: "In visit in the North, Gbagbo put Boundiali under his feet; jujus, machetes and knives seized." According to the paper, Boundiali was the second step of Gbagbo's visit in the North. As he did in Ferkéssegoudou, Gbagbo promised several things to the population of Boundiali, these include reconstruction of their roads and a dam to resolve their water problem. He also invited the population to follow him and Soro in their path for peace.
The paper also reports that the new Representative of the U.N. Secretary General met yesterday President Compaore to talk about the peace process. He said that the U.N. supports the peace process underway in Cote d'Ivoire because now the country is entering in the difficult and critical phase for the success of the process. He is quoted as saying: "Some progress has been made but a lot of work still remains to have a real peace on the field. It should therefore be done methodically by consolidating each privilege that we have now."
8. In Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI), a front-page story says: "Visit of the Head of State in the Great North, Boundiali cries its misery, Gbagbo reassures". According to the paper, Boundiali was the second town in Gbagbo's visit to the savannah region. In the first town, he announced several development projects to provide relief to the victims of war. In Boundiali he introduced the three sub-prefects.
9. In Dialogue (an independent daily), a front-page headline says: "Turnaround/general consultations of June 2008, Gbagbo suspect will to finance the elections; why now; where did he get the money, while he was begging the U.N. to help him." According to the paper, facing the tough conditions from financial donors, the State of Cote d'Ivoire has decided to finance the general elections. The paper continues to say that this sudden change in position at the topmost level of government leaves room for speculations about secret government intentions. Hence, this should arouse the vigilance in the opposition and the international community.
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