allAfrica.com: Côte d'Ivoire: American Embassy's National Daily Press Review (Page 1 of 1)

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. The identification process, one of the key points in the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, is the major issue in today's Ivoirian press. Meanwhile, President Laurent Gbagbo's recent visit to the north continues to be a subject of front-page stories in the dailies. Other reporting is on Gbagbo's upcoming trip to Lisbon and on the war to eliminate small arms in the sub-region.

2. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): The paper reports that the Ivoirian Prime Minister met with the Managing Director of the French firm, SAGEM, Jean Paul Jainsky, yesterday, to officially inform the firm that it has been selected as the technical operator in charge of the identification program and the electoral process in Cote d'Ivoire. The paper reminded readers that the decision to appoint the French group to conduct the operation was taken on November 29, 2007, when the Ivoirian President and his Prime Minister signed the supplements of the Ouagadougou Political Agreements I and II in Korhogo in the north of Cote d'Ivoire. The paper said that under the terms of these agreements, "The two sides agreed to appoint the French Group SAGEM as the technical operator in charge of the identification program and the electoral process."

3. According to Fraternite Matin, Jean Paul Jainsky, who was speaking to the press after his meeting with Soro, did not indicate the exact date of the beginning of the identification program nor did he say how long it will take to complete this operation. The paper quotes Jainsky as saying, "We've not yet received the final document containing the terms of reference." According to the paper, He [Managing Director of the French Group SAGEM] is optimistic and thinks that the Group would meet the challenge in a couple of months." On this optimism, Jainsky reportedly said "this is all dependent on the terms of reference and the means that would be provided." The paper continues on to say that Jainsky commented that there are about 12 million people of concern in the identification program.

4. Le Rebond (a daily close to the opposition): In this paper, though the headline says that Jainsky is concerned about "the short time" to complete the identification process, the report says Jainsky and his group are prepared to "take the challenge."

5. With regards to the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition) publishes an open letter written by its publisher, Coulibaly Seydou, to Prime Minister Guillaume Soro. The letter suggests that "despite the signing of the supplements to the Ouagadougou Political Agreements, the future of Cote d'Ivoire still looks uncertain." The letter also questioned the effectiveness of the implementation of the agreements. Coulibaly Seydou, also a political analyst, says that Soro has "little room to maneuver," and that "financial and political hitches" are the major stumbling blocks in his way to achieving his objectives.

6. On the visit of President Laurent Gbagbo to the north, Le Temps (a daily close the Ivoirian leader) carries a 12-page report claiming that "the myth of 'Brave-Tche' [a nickname for the opposition leader Alassane Dramane Ouattara] has dwindled down." The paper calls the visit "a reconciliation between Gbagbo and the population in northern Cote d'Ivoire as the campaign designed to thwart the tour failed."

7. Meanwhile, a front-page story in Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR) says that "Gbagbo's visit to the north does not threaten the interest of the RDR, the party of Alassane Dramane Ouattara in this region."

8. A front-page story in L'inter (a privately-owned daily) says that "relations between Gbagbo and Mamadou Koulibaly [perceived as one of the architects of the ruling FPI party] are strained." The paper quotes an un-named political analyst as saying, "Gbagbo and Koulibaly defer over political issues." "Mamadou Koulibaly thinks he has become useless, since Gbagbo does not listen to him anymore before taking his decisions." Reporting on the same issue, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) carries a headline saying that "Koulibaly, the number two of the Gbagbo regime, has gone into exile."

9. Fraternite Matin announces that President Laurent Gbagbo is expected in Lisbon, Portugal to attend the European-Africa Summit slated for December 8-9.

10. On another issue, the state-owned daily reports that experts from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have designed plans aimed at fighting small arms in the sub-region. According to the paper, West African experts, who met on November 28-29 in Bamako, Mali, said that "these strategies would help foster a change of behavior among the population and also help them adopt a culture of peace; the backbone for security and development."

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