United States Embassy (Abidjan)
5 March 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 difficulties in the peace process; the examination of the Ouagadougou Agreement by political parties; the new electoral code; the disarmament of ex-rebels are today's front-page stories in Ivorian daily newspapers. The papers also reported on another planned coup d'etat.
1. "Gbagbo to politicians: "Prepare elections and stop protest" is the headline of Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily). According to the paper, during a dinner in honor of the Sierra Leone's President, Mr. Koroma, last Monday at the Presidency, President Gbagbo told Ivorians: "Ivorians, don't listen to birds of ill omen. Let's progress; one point remains, that is elections."
The paper also reported that the International Monetary Fund has resumed its cooperation with Cote d'Ivoire under high surveillance. An International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Mr. Arend Kouwenaar, chief of the Department for Africa came to Abidjan in February for an evaluation of the discussions related to their 2008 budgetary support in order to help the country end its crisis and to permit the re-launching of government activities to reduce poverty and reach the objectives of the Millenium.
The paper also published a report of Agence France Presse (AFP), President Bush's talks with Medvedev. According to AFP, President Bush called President Dimitri Medvedev on Tuesday and expressed his hope for a close working relationship with him.
2. "Cacophony at FPI, Gbagbo: disarmament first, election after; Dano Djédjé in Korhogo: "Let's finish this debate and let's go to the essential" is the headline of the front-page story in Le Patriote (a daily close to RDR). According to the paper, as Gbagbo talks about proceeding with disarmament before the organization of elections, Dano Djédjé, a Minister from FPI says "let us finish the debate on disarmament and to go to the essential - the elections".
3. In L'Intelligent d'Abidjan (an independent daily), a front-page story said: "Vision or premonition? Rebels are logical with themselves, they will not disarm. Will New Forces show that Ben Soumahoro alias Waraba, member of the Parliament lied?" The paper reported that in December 2003, Mr. Ben Soumahoro predicted that rebels will never lay down their arms. Today, though the formal administration has been put in place, the rebels still continue to collect taxes and the return of the authority is not yet a reality on the field. Also, the question of disarmament still remains. The paper says that Mr. Soumahoro wants the rebels to prove that he was wrong by laying down their arms for the interest of the country.
On the economic front, the paper reported that Belgians are analyzing the Ivorian market. Fifteen heads of Belgian companies arrived in Abidjan last Monday for an economic mission. During a breakfast offered by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Cote d'Ivoire, Mr. Dirk Verheyen, Ambassador of Belgium in Cote d'Ivoire said that the economic operators of his country have come to Cote d'Ivoire to explore the market. According to the paper, the Ambassador said, Cote d'Ivoire is on the path of peace; it is about time for Belgian investors to come to reposition themselves.
4. A headline in Notre Voie (a pro-FPI daily) said: "Delay in the peace process, Soro Guillaume: we have difficulties; there are financial and security problems". According to the paper, Guillaume Soro organized a seminar yesterday to do the assessment of the Ouagadougou Agreement. He recognized that although big progress has been made in the peace process, the Ouagadougou Agreement still faces difficulties in its implementation. For examples, the delay in the designation of the technical operator and the deployment of the public hearings (audiences foraines) teams, the delay in finding resources for the funding of the elections, the security problems and the untimely strikes and other workers' issues are elements that have created difficulties in the process. Soro told the participants to work in a positive manner to end the crisis.
5. "A year after the Ouagadougou Agreement, Mao Glofiéhi from Guiglo: We will take arms again if . . ." is the headline of Le Jour (a daily close to the opposition). According to the paper, during the celebration of the first anniversary of the Ouagadougou Agreement, the chief of a militia in Western Cote d'Ivoire threatened that if they are not considered in the Agreement and if his elements do not receive allowances like the other soldiers, it will be dangerous for the country. He stated: "I don't agree that we are put aside otherwise my elements will cause an uprising".
6. In the headline story "Socio-political situation, the boss of French troop, Licorne speaks: being a soldier, what I think of the restart of the war." L'inter (a privately-owned daily) said that French General Clement-Bollet, Licorne Commander, talked about what the New Forces army and government defense and security forces must do. The French General said, the separate forces must disappear and become one unified army before elections. He said that today, the role of the impartial forces is to support the Ouagadougou Accord which entrusted them with a political mandate with regards to security.
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