United States Embassy (Abidjan)
3 June 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 state-owned daily, Fraternite Matin, devoted many columns to a nationwide anti-corruption campaign that was launched yesterday by Cote d'Ivoire security forces. The relationship between Cote d'Ivoire and the World Bank; the presence of Ivorian Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro, at the United Nations food summit in Rome, Italy; and the ban of some Ivorian newspapers for "illegal operation" by the National Press Council (CNP), a state-owned print media watchdog committee were also top stories in today's papers.
1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): A prominent story in this paper said that many communal buses and taxis widely known as "Gbaka and Woro Woro" were grounded yesterday, as Ivorian security forces launched a nationwide campaign aimed at stamping out corruption. The paper quoted the Ivorian Army Chief of Staff, General Philippe Mangou, as saying, "The high command of the army has now joined forces to fight racketeering." He explained that they want to restore the prestige of the security forces whose image has been tarnished by the conduct of a minority. According to the paper, the move was also designed to reduce roadblocks so as "to facilitate free movement of people and goods throughout the country." In this regard, the Ivorian army commander ordered security forces not to allow any vehicle which lacks official documents to do business, reported the paper. [Note: Gbaka and Woro Woro drivers often lack official documents and are frequently forced to pay off security officials at informal checkpoints set up on the streets.]
2. In a separate story, Fraternite Matin told readers that "some security forces ignored the campaign and continued to extort money from taxi drivers." Reacting to the event, the President of the Ivorian Chamber of Commerce, Jean Louis Billon, told the paper that "What we want is that the free movement of people and goods becomes a reality on the ground. This means that a vehicle that leaves Abidjan at 6:00 AM should be able to arrive at the destination at the end of the day. The roadblocks are making it difficult for vehicles to do that and all heavy trucks and traders have been affected by this phenomenon. We hope that this campaign does not turn out to be just a fanfare."
3. The relationship between Cote d'Ivoire and the World Bank was atop the agenda yesterday, when President Laurent Gbagbo held talks with a delegation of the Breton Wood Institution in Abidjan, reported Fraternite Matin. It quoted the head of the World Bank's delegation as saying that "Cote d'Ivoire has paid off its arrears vis-à-vis the bank. In return, the bank has agreed to support the country through a broad financial program that will take into account urban reconstruction projects, anti-HIV/AIDS campaigns, good governance, and budgetary support, estimated at 389 million dollars." According to the paper, another development program estimated at 130 million dollars will be signed by the end of this year between the World Bank and Cote d'Ivoire.
4. On a different issue, Fraternite Matin told readers that the Ivorian Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro, will address June 3 the United Nations food summit underway in Rome, Italy. Earlier on June 2, reported the paper, Soro held talks with the Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Jacques Diouf, who expressed satisfaction about "Cote d'Ivoire's commitment to help resolve the serious food crisis that is facing many countries in the world."
5. Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party): The paper which was banned yesterday for "illegal operation" by the National Press Council (CNP) reappeared today in the newsstands. In an interview, the Chief Editor of the paper, Charles Sanga, explained that his paper, which together with 32 other newspapers, was banned from publication June 2, was the victim of what he called "administrative dysfunction, since the papers he had sent showing that his company was in conformity with the law had not been processed in time." [Note: The papers were closed because they did not meet various technical legal requirements relating to companies that publish newspapers.]
7. On the same issue, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) published a statement issued by the National Press Council "lifting the ban on four newspapers including Le Patriote after they complied with the law on the press in Cote d'Ivoire."
Media Coverage of Embassy's Activities
L'inter (a privately-owned daily): A story in this daily reported on a program at the American Embassy in Abidjan that focused on Republican candidate John McCain. This was one of a series focusing on major candidates in the primaries.
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