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Côte d'Ivoire: American Embassy's National Daily Press Review


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United States Embassy (Abidjan)

16 January 2008
Posted to the web 16 January 2008

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 in today's Ivorian press focused on the West African leaders' summit, which is scheduled to start tomorrow in Ouagadougou; the case of the Ivorian exiled former sergeant Ibrahim Coulibaly, alias IB; and the renewal of UN peacekeeping mandate in Cote d'Ivoire for six months.

2. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): The paper reported that President Laurent Gbagbo flew to Ouagadougou yesterday to attend two West African Head of States Summits slated for January 17-18 in the Burkinabe capital. According to the paper, African leaders will try to elect two governors for the West African States Central Bank and the West African Development Bank. The Ivorian Minister for Planning and Development, Paul Antoine Bouabre, is one of the candidates vying for the post of the head of the West African States Central Bank, reported the paper. Gbagbo and his peers, the paper further commented, will also work on new strategies aimed at revamping the region's integration policy, and building sound and strong financial and banking institutions.

3. Fraternite Matin also reported that the issue of security - especially the situation in Cote d'Ivoire -- will be high on the agenda during the West African leaders' meeting in Ouagadougou. According to the paper the discussions will also "examine the situation in northern Mali and Niger, where Touareg rebels are very active against legitimate regimes."

4. In a lead story, Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) reported that in a bid to have Paul Antoine Bouabre as the boss of the West African States Central Bank, Gbagbo proposed "a deal" to Compaore [Burkinabe president]. According to the paper, the Ivorian leader is seeking the support of his Burkinabe counterpart in the battle over who leads the bank. In return, Gbagbo would lobby for Compaore to enable him to secure a second term as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States.

5. In a front-page story, Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition) said the Security Council has extended the mandate of La Licorne [French troops] and the UN peacekeeping troops in Cote d'Ivoire until July 30 in efforts to consolidate the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. According to the paper, the French-drafted Resolution said the move is "to support the organization of free, open, fair and transparent elections within the time frame set out in Cote d'Ivoire." The paper further commented that through this Resolution, France has decided to make "a come-back" in the peace process underway in this West African country.

6. Still on the UN's role in Cote d'Ivoire, but with a different take, a prominent headline in Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) said: "Elections in Cote d'Ivoire: UN will control everything."

7. The former sergeant Ibrahim Coulibaly, alias IB, is the main subject on the front-page of L'inter (a privately-owned daily). According to the paper, Coulibably, who is currently under investigation for allegedly plotting a coup, again vowed "to overthrow the Gbagbo regime." According to the paper, a video entitled: "Christmas in Abidjan: IB announces the end of road for Gbagbo," was published on internet yesterday.

Relevant Links

West Africa
Côte d'Ivoire
Press and Media

8. Commenting on recent developments in Cote d'Ivoire, Patrick N'Goan, an Ivorian human activist told Nord-Sud Quotidien that "Impunity and corruption are worst than tribalism." Apparently reacting to Gbagbo's plan "to pass a law to fight tribalism, racism and xenophobia in Cote d'Ivoire," N'Goan -- Chairman of the Ivorian League of Human Rights (LIDHO) --, suggested that "the existing laws should be applied."


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