United States Embassy (Abidjan)
29 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.
Today, many Ivorian daily newspapers reported that France plans to renegotiate all its military accords with African nations. The agreement signed yesterday between the Ivorian Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro and the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Donald Kaberuka on the bank's contribution to the peace process underway in Cote d'Ivoire, was also the subject of front-page story in many dailies. The papers also reported on the tensions within political parties; and the recent clashes between public transportation drivers and security forces.
1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily) had a prominent headline, which said that French President Nicholas Sarkozy wants "to renegotiation" all French military accords with African countries, including Cote d'Ivoire. According to the paper, Sarkozy made this remark in Cape Town, South Africa, where he is on an official visit. Sarkozy said "France has no intention to maintain its armies in Africa, indefinitely. Africa must take charge of its security problems," reported the paper. It also said that South African President Thabo Mbeki "welcomes" Sarkozy's decision because the move is part of "the decolonization process." According to the paper, there are some 9,000 French troops stationed in Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Gabon, the Central African Republic, Chad and Djibouti; defense deals signed between France and its former African colonies like Togo and Comoros are still in force. The paper noted that, "Sarkozy's announcement is not new," as this decision, which was first announced in 2006 in the Beninois capital Cotonou, is yet to be "implemented." The paper commented that "Detractors of Francafrique [the name of French policy in Africa] did not appreciate French recent intervention in Chad, because this enabled Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno to cling to power following rebels' attacks on the outskirts of the Presidential Palace."
2. On the same subject, another prominent story in L'inter (a privately-owned daily) said "France-Cote d'Ivoire: Sarkozy to close down 43eme BIMA [French military base in Abidjan]." "France will no longer be the gendarme of Africa," the paper quoted the French leader as saying.
3. A front-page story in Notre Voie (a pro-FPI daily) talked about where ruling FPI party stands with regards to military and monetary relations between France and Cote d'Ivoire. The paper quoted the Speaker of the Ivorian National Assembly and an unnamed leading member of the ruling party as saying that it is part FPI party's program to work out mechanisms that would enable Cote d'Ivoire to stop its "colonial relations with France and to acquire more autonomy."
4. Fraternite Matin reported that African Development Bank (AfDB) chairman, Donald Kaberuka yesterday signed a $31.4 million agreement with the Ivorian authorities in support of the peace process, which is underway in Cote d'Ivoire. [The money will be used to finance public services such as health, education and rural development in the north of the country.] According to the paper, Kaberuka told journalists in Abidjan that the Bank continues to have "good relations" with Cote d'Ivoire, and reassured Ivorians that despite the transfer of the Bank's activities to Tunisia, Cote d'Ivoire remains its headquarters.
5. In a related development, Fraternite Matin reported that "a mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has tasked the Ivorian authorities to focus on useful expenditures." The paper quoted one of the Fund's officials as saying that "The year 2008 is a very crucial one and demands that resources are used to finance vital projects for the population."
6. On political inter-party tensions, Nord-Sud Quotidien (a pro-opposition daily) reported in a front-page story that First Lady, Simone Gbagbo and the Chairman of the ruling FPI, Pascal Affi N'Guessan have been engaged in "a power struggle over who should succeed President Gbagbo." In a full-page analysis, the paper profiled each, looking at their political and social experiences as well as the chances for taking over from Gbagbo, if and when he retires. The paper also reported that Alassane Dramane Ouattara, the leader of the opposition RDR party, is also embroiled in a similar power struggle within his party. According to the paper, "four heavyweights" including the Cabinet Director of Ouattara are fighting for the party's leadership.
7. On the clashes between public transportation drivers and security forces, Le Patriote (a daily close to the RDR party) reported that one person was killed yesterday, following a skirmish between drivers and security forces in Yopougon, a suburb of Abidjan.
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