United States Embassy (Abidjan)
7 November 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 meeting of CPC -a committee overseeing the Ouagadougou Political Agreement-scheduled to be held on November 10th, 2008; the meeting between Mr. Francis Wodié (the leader of opposition PIT party) and Mr. Allassane Ouattara aiming at assessing the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement; and the declaration of Mrs. Bro Grebé (the leader of the women's wing of the Patriots) about fraud in the registration centers are the majors issues in today's press. Media outlets in Cote d'Ivoire continued to devote many columns to the US presidential elections.
Fraternité Matin (a state owned daily) reported on the audience President Gbagbo granted yesterday to UN Special Representative Choi in a bid to prepare the meeting of the CPC (the oversight committee of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement) scheduled for November 10 in Ouagadougou. The paper quoted Mr.Choi as saying "We have notice meaningful and strategic progress in the crisis resolution process in Cote d'Ivoire." According to the paper, Mr. Choi said that the joint effort of Ivorian political leaders and the International Community will help to meet the challenges of the registration process and the elections.
Soir Info (an independent daily) reported that Mr. Boureima Baldini (the representative of the facilitator of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement) stated that the upcoming CPC meeting will address implementation of the electoral registration process and the financing of the upcoming presidential elections, but not the question of fixing a new date.
Notre Voie ( a daily close to the ruling FPI party) a report in this paper said that one of the main concerns of the forthcoming CPC meeting is the issue of the disarming of the military wing of the New forces as required, according to the newspaper, by some human rights organizations. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI party) reporting on an audience Mr. Konan Bedié granted to Special UN Representative Choi quoted him as stating that Cote d'Ivoire has reached a critical point in the implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement. He added that the contribution of all Ivorian leaders is compulsory for the success of the crisis resolution process. Nord Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition RDR party), differing from other reports, claimed that the next meeting of the oversight committee of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement will fix a new timetable and date for the presidential elections, as requested by the Security Council.
Fraternité Matin (a state owned daily) reported on the meeting between Mr. Allassane Ouattara (the leader of the opposition RDR party) and Mr. Francis Wodié (the leader of the opposition PIT party) . According to the paper the objective of this meeting was to elaborate strategies to deal with the postponement of presidential elections past November 30. Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) quoted Mr. Wodié as saying "the political situation in Cote d'Ivoire is so worrying that it is compulsory to find strategies in a bid to fully involve Ivorians in the implementation of the crisis resolution process."
Nord Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) reported that the audience Mr. Ouattara granted to Mr. Wodié aimed at assessing the implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement and setting common strategies in view of the decision to postpone the presidential elections.
Fraternité Matin ( a state owned daily) reported that Mrs. Bro Grebé (the leader of the women's wing of the Patriots) raised the issue of fraud in some of the registration centers in order to convince Prime Minister Soro Guillaume of the need to address the issue.
Soir Info (an independent daily) said that the women's wing of the Patriots made some recommendations to Prime Minister Soro Guillaume in order to avoidfraud during the electoral registration process. These included reinforcement of the oversight committees, the creation of a communications plan and a campaign of sensitization.
United Sates of America
Fraternité Matin (a state owned daily) wondered about the African policy of President-elect Obama. In a related analysis the paper said that President-elect Obama will probably follow the same policy as his predecessors President Bush and President Clinton in establishing a partnership for development of Africa.
The daily also released an interview with former CI Ambassador to the UN Jean Vincent Zinsou saying that the election of Obama answers international criticism of the U.S.
Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) and L'Intelligent d'Abidjan (an independent daily) said that President Obama is holding consultations in order to pick a new leadership team for his presidency. Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) reported on the urgent issues president Obama will have to face. The financial crisis, the military situation in Iraq and the issue of unemployment are, according to the paper, the major issues on which the President-elect must take some decisions very soon. Soir Info (an independent daily) stated that the main challenge President Obama will have to take up is his personal security given deaths threats launched against him by some Neo-Nazis.
L'Inter (an independent daily) said that the election of President Obama will help develop the African Continent.
L'Intelligent d'Abidjan (an independent daily) said that the Jimmy Carter Center has been invited by Prime Minister Soro to be an observer of the forthcoming Ivorian elections.
US Embassy Activities
L'Intelligent d'Abidjan (an independent daily) reported on a conference held on November 7th, 2008 in the U.S. Embassy Information Resource Center. The story noted that the program gathered political and civil society leaders, human rights activists, university professors, students and religious leaders to discuss the policies and views of President-elect Barack Obama.
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