United States Embassy (Abidjan)
4 December 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. Reports on the International Union of Francophone Press, 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: "Gbagbo asks for foreign journalists'help; he is quoted as saying: "Help us having a serious press". During the opening ceremony yesterday of the International Union of francophone press, President Gbagbo asked to journalists to regard our countries with serious looks and not with propagandist looks. He told foreign journalists that what he expects from them is serious, fair and neutral views and criticisms about Côte d'Ivoire.
The paper also reports that Gbagbo seized this important meeting of the francophone press to inform journalists that the exact dates for the elections will be determined within one or two months.
3. In L'Inter (an independent daily), a front-page story says: "The 39th Session of the Union of Francophone Press, Gbagbo replies to his opponents; in two months the elections dates will be determined. Fologo, the president of the Economic Council, denounced some embassies". According to the paper, President Gbagbo and Fologo took the opportunity of the Francophone press meeting to express some of their views on the peace process. The paper reports that while Gbagbo was talking about timetable of the elections, Fologo was attacking the International Community for continuing to demonize Cote d'Ivoire. According to Fologo, some embassies advice to their citizens is not to come to Cote d'Ivoire. He is quoted as saying: "Those who think that we will not organize elections are ridiculous."
The paper also reports that during his visit in the North, President Gbagbo promised the population that on his return to Abidjan, he would set up a follow-up committee supervised by the Prime Minister in order to look at the specific problems of the savannah region.
4. In Soir Info (an independent daily), a front-page story with the headline: "Lessons of Gbagbo's visit in the North was culled from an article written by a Burkinabé newspaper, San Finnan. The report in San Finnan says: "those who have lived four years in the rebel zones and to whom best future was promised at the beginning of the war have quickly disenchanted. According to the paper, the population in the North, which is lacking basic needs and living in somewhat of jungle life in an abandoned territory by the State was really happy to see President Gbagbo. To them the visit of Gbagbo means the end of their suffering. Observers as well as journalits reported that Gbagbo's visit in the North was a success.
5. In L'Intelligent d'Abidjan (an independent daily), a front-page headline says: Laurent Gbagbo yesterday: "They are ridiculous, those who think that we will not organize elections; dates will be determined within one or two months; I expect the press to be neutral and fair". According to the paper, during the opening ceremony of the International Union of Francophone Press yesterday at the Hotel Ivoire, Gbagbo announced in front of foreign journalists that his resolve is to rapidly go to the elections in order to end the crisis. He also asked journalists not to be subservient to political parties but to be a neutral and painless press.
6. In Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition), a front-page story says: "Opening of the 39th session of the International Union of Francophone Press, Gbagbo and Fologo shoot at journalists". According to the paper, during the opening ceremony yesterday, Gbagbo and Fologo awkwardly tried to defend the case of Cote d'Ivoire, a country hostile to the practice of press freedom, though it is said that no journalist will be jailed, this is not the reality.
Fologo, who is a former journalist attacked the journalists, particularly the outgoing president of the Union. He is quoted as saying: "You are here in Cote d'Ivoire where the inhabitants have not changed. Francophone media demonized this country. The country was demonized and called many names. Today, even in some travel agencies, Cote d'Ivoire is not recommended as a place to visit. This demonization is due to a disinformation that is still on."
The paper also reports that Alfred Dan Moussa, the editor in chief of Fraternité Matin has been named president of the Union. He succeeds to Hervé Bourges.
On another subject, the paper writes: "USA: Bush, the time of repentence?" According to the paper, after wagging war against Iraq and speaking out harshly against Iran, Syria and North Korea, Bush's son seems to be in a better frame of mind with regards to organization of a Middle-East peace conference in Annapolis and the announcement of doubling America's aid to fight against HIV/AIDS and poverty
7. In 24 Heures (a daily close to the opposition), a front-page story says: "Gbagbo rakes up Soro's zones; the ex-rebels choose death by euthanasia". The paper expresses some concern over whether the Ouagadougou supplementary Accord signed on November 28 rings the ends of the ex-rebels. In the report, the paper asks Soro's men to give back. The money, according to the paper, which is the nerve of war, should come back to the hands of the Head of State, who has gained the friendship of the population during his recent visit in the north.
8. In Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition), a front-page headline says: "Supplementary Agreements, grey areas of Ouaga II and III; is the deadline realistic?" According to the paper, despite the crisis created by the Minister of Interior on the case of SAGEM (the office in charge of the electoral listings and the identification), last Thursday Gbagbo and Soro signed the Ouagadougou Accord that is supposed to re-launch the peace process. The paper also says, the question regarding the grades of New Forces soldiers and quota of those soldiers to be integrated into the new army has not been resolved. Despite acts posed by the national security forces and the New Forces, the disarmament of the two armies still remains a concern.
9. In Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI), a front-page headline says: "Lessons of the Head of State's visit in the North, Gbagbo speaks, FPI puts on weight. According to the paper, several militants of RDR and PDCI have joined FPI after President Gbagbo's visit in the North.
The paper also reports that during the opening ceremony of the International Union of Francophone Press, Gbagbo said to journalists: "Cote d'Ivoire was torn by a war. As an historian I am not shaken because it is these ordeals that consolidate nations. All the countries in the world have had war but as a president, I am upset."
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