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


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United States Embassy (Abidjan)

22 January 2008
Posted to the web 22 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.

The peace process underway in Cote d'Ivoire, the upcoming presidential elections - tentatively planned for June 2008 --, and the continuous rumors of coup d'etat, are the major issues in today's Ivorian press.

1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned newspaper): A front-page story in this paper said that President Laurent Gbagbo reassured Ivorians and the international community that the presidential elections will be held in 2008. According to the paper, Gbagbo was speaking yesterday in Abidjan as he received New Year's greetings from Ivorian government officials and the diplomatic community in Cote d'Ivoire. The paper published the full text of Gbagbo's speech. Gbagbo told those gathered the following - "Let me repeat before you what I already said in my end-of-year state address: We can organize elections earlier in June 2008. I want to ask all the countries and organizations that you represent to help us to take up the challenge, which is realistic because it shows the willingness of a whole nation."

3. Gbagbo also told military officers attending this ceremony that "your new responsibility is to support the peace process until it's completed," Fraternite Matin quoted the Ivorian leader as saying. Reacting to Gbagbo's pronouncement, Cote d'Ivoire's army boss, Maj. Gen. Philippe Mangou, said: "You can count on forces of defense and security to face the challenges to come up in 2008." The paper also commented that "the defense and security forces are committed to sacrifice themselves to protect the Ouagadougou Political Agreement."

4. Speaking at the ceremony on behalf of the diplomatic corps, the Roman Catholic Apostolic Nuncio, Mario Roberto Cassari, said: "We're all witnesses of the immense progress that Cote d'Ivoire is making to establishing peace and national reconciliation. It'll be regrettable to stop this process or to bury those unique chances of reconstruction, unification of the national territory, reconciliation, and mutual pardon, since our task is to change the situation positively with determination and humility," reported Fraternite Matin.

5. Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI): In a prominent item, the paper said the former ruling PDCI-RDA party "boycotted" the ceremony.

6. Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party): The paper reported that leaders of the Rally of the Houphouetists for Democracy and Reconciliation (RHDP) - an opposition coalition - met yesterday "to harmonize their views" ahead of the 2nd meeting of CPC [a body overseeing the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement], which is planned to be held in Ouagadougou on January 24. According to the paper, the former Ivorian president, Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Dramane Ouattara, the Ivorian opposition figure attended the meeting.

7. L'inter (a privately-owned daily): The paper commented that the situation on the ground shows that the Ouagadougou Political Agreement has been delayed. According to the paper, the government administrations tasked to collect taxes in the zones formerly under the control of the New Forces are yet to be deployed.

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8. Nord-Sud Quotidien (a pro-opposition newspaper): The paper reported that the exiled former sergeant Ibrahim Coulibaly, aka IB, has been expelled from his party for his "alleged implication in a coup d'etat." The paper published a statement issued by UNIR [Union Nationale des Ivoiriens du Renouveau] in which the party's leadership "strongly dissociate itself from such an adventure."


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