United States Embassy (Abidjan)
12 January 2009
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 political atmosphere in Cote d'Ivoire, as the authorities are struggling to push forward with the peace process in this country, was a dominant issue in today's Ivorian press. Newspapers also referred to some speeches in which leading Ivorian political figures - from within and outside the regime -- critically looked at the socio-economic situation of the country. The dailies also talked about the government's decision to reduce the price of petrol; moves to revamp the cocoa and coffee industry and nepotism in the recruitment of civil servants. The state-owned daily Fraternite Matin continued its series of reports on the inauguration of Barack Obama.
1. Soir Info (a privately-owned daily): The recent political rows over the funding of the Ivorian electoral process prompted a commentary in this paper. It said that this week would mark a turning point in the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire. Citing reliable sources, the paper said that the Ivorian Prime Minister, who was in Ouagadougou for consultations with President Blaise Compaore, facilitator in the Ivorian peace process, is due to come back home today, probably with some solutions to push forward the peace process. According to the paper, Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, upon arrival in Abidjan, will be meeting with President Laurent Gbagbo together with the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission in an effort to find a final date for the long-delayed presidential elections.
2. In another story, Soir Info reported on the speeches recently delivered by some Ivorian leading political figures criticizing the state of affairs in the country. Speaking during a rally over the weekend, the former Ivorian President Henri Konan Bedie said Cote d'Ivoire under Gbagbo's regime has become "bankrupt"; he added "This regime has nothing new to offer the people." In a separate story, the paper quoted the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mamadou Koulibaly as saying "The country is falling apart, while a small group of people are getting richer and richer." The report said Mr. Koulibaly, one of the moguls of the current regime, who was addressing a rally on Saturday, regretted that because of political disputes, the population is "dying from misery and poverty when the country has all the potential to ensure its prosperity." The report quoted the Speaker as praising the program of the ruling FPI party.
3. Commenting on the problems regarding funding of the electoral process, Soir Info quoted the President of the Economic and Social Council Laurent Dona Fologo as saying: "I am ashamed that Cote d'Ivoire has arrived at a stage where it has to turn to the international community to resolve fundamental issues." Soir Info in another piece quoted the leader of the Ivorian Workers Party (PIT), Francis Wodie, who depicted Cote d'Ivoire as a place where "there is growing poverty; a drop in purchasing power of workers; growing unemployment; total corruption and insecurity."
4. In a related development, Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily) carried a prominent story saying that former Ivorian President Henri Konan Bedie called for "national cohesion." Mr. Bedie, who is also the leader of the former ruling PDCI-RDA party called on the party to "bury their differences" in order to allow the party to retake power during the coming elections.
5. Notre Voie (a daily close to the FPI party): In a front-page story, the paper alleged that the voter registration exercise has been marred with fraud in the zones formerly under the control of the New Forces - the former rebel group. According to the reports, nationals from West African countries were being registered.
6. L'intelligent d'Abidjan (a privately-owned daily): A report in this paper said that two people were killed and scores were seriously injured when former rebels attacked the central city of Prikro on January 10. A similar report in Fraternite Matin said this was the third time the city had come under rebel attack. The paper further reported that in reaction to these attacks, the population of the region is calling for the disarmament of the rebels and the redeployment of a joint - government and New Forces - security force.
7. As authorities in Cote d'Ivoire are working to revamp the cocoa and coffee industry, Fraternite Matin said farmers are committed to improving the quality of the commodities. Meeting last week in Cote d'Ivoire's political capital Yamoussoukro, under the supervision of a group of experts put in place by the government, Ivorian farmers pledged to take measures to allow Cote d'Ivoire to keep its leadership as the world cocoa top producer and also the best cocoa and coffee producer.
8. A front-page story in Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition) denounced "nepotism and corruption" in the recruitment process for civil servants in Cote d'Ivoire.
9. In its week-end edition, Fraternite Matin informed readers the government has decided to reduce the price of gas in Cote d'Ivoire. According to the paper, the decision was taken last week during a cabinet meeting.
10. Finally, as part of its series of reports on the inauguration of Barack Obama, Fraternite Matin presented to readers information on the architecture and history of the White House.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 United States Embassy. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
