United States Embassy (Abidjan)
28 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 Ivorian dailies continue to comment on a recent demand made by CNRD -- a coalition of parties and movements supportive of President Gbagbo - for the resignation of Guillaume Soro as leader of the New Forces. Papers also reported on decisions taken during the Council of Ministers held yesterday in Abidjan. News reports also said that the government in Cote d'Ivoire is seeking funding to finance the peace process.
1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): A prominent story on the front-page of the paper said that "President Laurent Gbagbo has reaffirmed his support for Soro." According to the paper, the Ivorian leader "congratulated and encouraged" Prime Minister Guillaume Soro yesterday during the Council of Ministers meeting in Abidjan. The newspaper went on to comment that amidst the differences that are currently opposing the New Forces and the CNRD, the Ivorian leader has been "a diplomat," as he is trying "not to comment on this issue." However, the paper noted that "Gbagbo's silence over this issue is making it difficult to know his position on a demand from the CNRD calling on Soro to resign from his position as the leader of the New Forces." The paper also published an excerpt of a statement issued after the Council of Ministers, where "he [Gbagbo] has reminded the ministers of their duty to preserve secrecy in order to strengthen the spirit of cohesion amongst members of the government."
2. L'inter (a privately-owned daily): Commenting on CNRD's demand, the paper said that Gbagbo's entourage is "divided over the issue." According to the paper, the Ivorian leader and parties that support him are "not speaking with one voice" over the application of the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. The paper went on to suggest that Gbagbo's partisans are blaming the head of the transitional government who is also the leader of the New Forces for dragging his feet, as many programs including the regroupement of the New Forces' ex-combatants have been delayed.
3. L'intelligent d'Abidjan (a privately-owned daily): A prominent story on the front-page of the newspaper suggested that some New Forces' warlords "support the CNRD's demand calling for Soro's resignation as the leader of the former rebel movement." The paper quoted unnamed sources as saying that "during secret meetings, the New Forces' military top brass decided to convince Soro to choose either his post of Prime Minister or that of the leader of the New Forces."
4. Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party): In a front-page story, the paper told readers about the Ivorian Prime Minister's "difficulties" in getting funds to finance Cote d'Ivoire's peace process. According to the paper, SAGEM, a French group tasked with conducting the identification process and producing the voter registration list ahead of the upcoming presidential polls in Cote d'Ivoire, is demanding about 161 million dollars to carry out the program. The announcement was made yesterday by the spokesperson of the Prime Minister, Meite Sindou, reported the paper. Meanwhile, indicated the paper, international donors, who should help the Ivorian government finance the scheme, have posed some conditions. "Donors are still waiting to see the disarmament and identification programs reach an irreversible stage before the disbursement of funds," Meite Sindou reportedly said.
5. In a related development, Fraternite Matin reported that the Ivorian government and SAGEM will sign an agreement next week to confirm the 161 million dollars contract and the identification program will kick off as soon as the deal is signed.
6. In a separate story, Fraternite Matin reported that the Ivorian government has reviewed Cote d'Ivoire's 2008 budget. According to a statement issued after the Council of Ministers' meeting yesterday, the budget has been increased by about 183 million dollars in order to meet expenses incurred due to the financing of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and the service of internal debt, reported the paper.
7. Finally, in a front page item, Notre Voie announced that the French public broadcaster Radio France International (RFI) has appointed its journalist, Norbert Navarro, as the new correspondent in Abidjan. [On January 31, 2008, Cote d'Ivoire's National Council for Audiovisual Communication (CNCA) - a state media regulator - banned Radio France International (RFI) from local airwaves in Abidjan. CNCA said the decision was taken as a result of RFI's failure to assign a new correspondent to Cote d'Ivoire. (Note: RFI's previous Cote d'Ivoire correspondent was shot dead at close range by an on-duty officer outside a police station in central Abidjan while reporting on arrests of political opposition supporters in October, 2003. The officer was found guilty and is now in prison.)
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