United States Embassy (Abidjan)
28 February 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.
An Ivorian privately-owned daily newspaper today reported that the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire is under "threat" as dissidents New Forces soldiers are to due to meet today in Accra, Ghana. Papers also reported on the differences between the New Forces and the ruling FPI party over the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement; the Ivorian upcoming presidential elections, and the role of the state-owned media in the peace process.
1. L'inter (a privately-owned daily): The paper prominently carried a front-page story that read: "Peace process under threat: Dissident soldiers set for a secret meeting in Accra." Quoting an insider, the paper hinted that "dissident soldiers from the New Forces, and close to the former Sergeant Ibrahim Coulibaly, are due to hold a crucial meeting today in the Ghanaian capital Accra to finalize a project aimed at staging a coup in Cote d'Ivoire." According to the paper, "a heavy delegation of New Forces soldiers close to Coulibaly - who was recently accused by the Ivorian authorities for plotting to overthrow the regime in Cote d'Ivoire - are expected to attend this meeting." The paper also alleged that "well-known Ivorian military officers, who defected the army, are believed to be the brains behind this operation."
2. Le Patriote (A daily close to the opposition RDR party): In a front-page story, the paper suggested that "a difference" opposing the New Forces and the FPI party over the disarmament of the ex-combatants could undermine the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. The paper denounced the approach from Gbagbo's party, which is citing the disarmament of the ex-combatants as a "precondition" for the organization of the upcoming presidential elections in Cote d'Ivoire. The paper further commented: "it's true that before elections, any armed groups in our country should be disarmed. But politics command that we do have a sound appreciation of realities on the ground. Today, the only way out of the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire is to dissociate the electoral process from the disarmament, which is another program that requests more time." According to the paper, the Ouagadougou Political Agreement made "this appreciation," that is the reason why the signatories of this agreement - including the FPI party - decided that "the disarmament should not be a pre-condition for the conduct of the polls."
3. Regarding the preparation of the coming elections, Notre Voie (a pro-FPI daily) reported that the electoral rolls, which will be used during the polls, will include a digital picture and fingerprint of the potential voter. The announcement was made yesterday by the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), Robert Beugre Mambe, after a meeting yesterday with the Ivorian Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, reported the paper. "These innovations came from the government," Mambe reportedly said.
4. "General elections: Mambe announces biometric cards," said a front-page story in Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily). The paper was also reporting on the meeting between Soro and the Ivoirian electoral commissioner to evaluate the progress made regarding preparation of the upcoming elections. According to the paper, Mambe, who was speaking to reporters after the meeting, used the opportunity to play down rumors of strain relations between the electoral commission and other technical institutions involved in the preparation of the elections. "We'll work with the INS (National Statistics Institute) and SAGEM (French that has been appointed to identify the Ivorian populations) in a spirit of fraternity," Mambe was reported as saying.
5. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling FPI party): In a front-page story, the paper quoted the new Chairman of the Board of Director of RTI - the state-owned daily broadcasting corporation - as saying: "The state-owned media must reflect the view of all political opinions." Honore Guie was speaking yesterday in Abidjan after a meeting with Alassane Dramane Ouattara, the leader of the opposition RDR party. According to the paper, discussions between the two men focused on how to allow every political divides in Cote d'Ivoire to have "free access to the state-owned media especially the RTI."
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