United States Embassy (Abidjan)
30 October 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 Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, who spoke yesterday on the peace process, made headlines in today's Ivorian press. Reports also said that the UN Security Council on Wednesday renewed the arms embargo and the sanctions on certain individuals in Cote d'Ivoire for another year. Cote d'Ivoire. Government's plan to alleviate poverty; the role of the media in the current peace process in Cote d'Ivoire; and possible reduction of the gas price were the other major stories in today's dailies.
1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): "My ambition is arrive at a peaceful election," this paper quoted the Ivorian Prime Minister as saying. Mr. Guillaume Soro was a guest speaker yesterday at the state-run daily to elaborate on the peace process. Speaking on the voter registration exercise designed to provide identity and voting cards to Ivorians, the former rebel leader turned Prime Minister said: "We had a meeting Tuesday with the various bodies involved in the electoral process and we asked them to come out with reliable timetable that would include, not only the date the voter registration exercise would be completed, but also the final date of the elections. We also plan to extend the operation to other regions of the country once the operation gets a full momentum in Abidjan."
2. Regarding funding of the electoral process, "the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) has proposed a budget estimated at about $71 million. The UNDP has already provided about $20 million as part of the basket-fund-agreement signed with this institution. The European Union pledged to contribute about $26 million. The state will contribute about $10 million. However, we don't need money only for the elections but also for disarmament and other issues," Fraternite Matin quoted the Ivorian Prime Minister as saying.
3. On the questions relating to revenue collection in the former New Forces-controlled territory, Fraternite Matin quoted the Prime Minister saying: "The President [Laurent Gbagbo] and I are speaking with the same voice." According to the paper the Prime Minister further said, "The questions regarding the revenue collection, the grades and the number of the former combatants to be integrated in Cote d'Ivoire's future army are very important and sensitive issues and we are trying to reach a compromise."
4. Regarding the security during the electoral process, a prominent story in Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition) quoted the Ivorian Prime Minister as saying "1,000 soldiers of the New Forces will be called in to reinforce security at the voter registration centers."
5. Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI): A story in this paper said that handicapped people want to be involved in the electoral process. This was announced Wednesday by FIOPH - an Ivorian handicapped people's association - during a press conference in Abidjan. According to the report, handicapped people are demanding that all obstacles be lifted to enable them to participate fully in the voter registration exercise.
6. Another story in Fraternite Matin said that the UN Security Council on Wednesday renewed the arms embargo and targeted sanctions on personalities seen as obstacles to peace in Cote d'Ivoire for another year. The report said: "The 15-member council unanimously adopted Resolution 1842, which extends until October 31, 2009 embargoes on arms to Cote d'Ivoire as well as exports of Ivorian rough diamonds. The Security Council, the paper however said, envisages reviewing the measures "no later than three months after the holding of open, free, fair and transparent elections in accordance with international law."
7. A report in Fraternite Matin said that media associations, political leaders and representatives of NGOs are meeting to elaborate a handbook on electoral coverage for the media practitioners in the run-up to the forthcoming presidential elections.
8. Fraternite Matin reported that the UN is to support a poverty alleviation program in Cote d'Ivoire at the tune of about $41 million during the five coming years. However, the paper noted that the UN would use the coming elections in Cote d'Ivoire as a pre-condition for the funding.
9. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former PDCI-RDA party): The paper said that the government would decide today whether to reduce the price of the gas or not. According to the paper, the petrol price reduction has become necessary following the drop of the price of this commodity on the international market. In another development, the paper said that classes have been suspended since Monday at Cocody University in Abidjan. According to the paper, teachers have called for the strike to protest recent attacks on one of their colleagues by students, who are members of the FESCI - Cote d'Ivoire Student Federation.
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