This daily press review is compiled by the Information Section of the Public Affairs Office of the American Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Reactions after Cote d'Ivoire's government set November 29, 2009 as the date of the coming presidential elections made headlines in today's Ivorian press. New developments following clashes by opposing rival ethnic groups in south-eastern town of Akoupe; the visit of a Nigerian military delegation; new revelations on the potentially lethal nature of the toxic waste dumped in Cote d'Ivoire in 2006 and regional efforts to stem the impacts of the global economic crisis in Africa were the major stories.

1. The announcement of November 29, 2009 as the date of the long-delayed presidential elections was subjects of prominent stories in Cote d'Ivoire's pro and anti-government newspapers. A banner headline in Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily) said that the first round of the polls is finally set for November 29, 2009. The announcement was made Thursday by Prime Minister Guillaume Soro. "The electoral college of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire sets Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009 in view of holding the presidential election of the Republic... The vote will be opened at 0700 GMT and closed at 1700 GMT," the Prime Minister said in a decree adopted by the Council of Ministers. Mr. Soro was further quoted as saying "We're all working for the election to be held on that date." Speaking after this announcement, the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Robert Beugre Mambe, indicated that "The remedial voter registration in the country's other regions will begin next week and the identification of Ivorians living abroad will begin at the end of this month."

2. In a related development, Fraternite Matin carried reactions from various poltical stakeholders following the announcement of the date of the presidential elections. The paper quoted a leading member of the former ruling PDCI-RTDA party as saying: "It is a good thing that a date has been set. But there is a need to take necessary measures to respect this date because this is not the first a date has been fixed for the election." According to the paper, the opposition RDR party, led by Alassane Dramane Ouattara, also welcomed the decision saying: "the date of November 29, 2009 for the first round of the polls is good news for Cote d'Ivoire." The ruling FPI party also called for the respect of this timetable, while the New Forces' spokesperson promised that the former rebel group is fully committed to this date.

3. A front-page story in Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that the announcement of the date of the elections has definitely put an end to the debate over this issue. Meanwhile, a prominent story in Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) questioned the rationale behind the government's decision to set November 29, 2009 as the date of the polls. In a separate story, the paper informed readers that this new date was announced after protracted political bargaining between President Gbagbo and the Prime Minister on the one hand and opposition leaders including former President Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Dramane Ouattara on the other hand.

4. In a related development, a story in L'inter (an independent daily) said that the representative of the facilitator in the Ivorian peace process, Boureima Badini, has closed the debate over whether the disarmament of the former combatants should be completed or not before the elections. The paper quoted Mr. Badini as saying that "The Ouagadougou Political Agreement clearly recommends that the disarmament should be completed before the elections."

5. On different military issues, L'inter quoted the Commander of the Gendarmerie, General Edouard Kassarate, who said: "We'll take all necessary measures to ensure that democracy does not turn to anarchy." The Ivorian army officer was speaking during a meeting with a visiting delegation from Nigeria's National Defense University. The report said the delegation is in Cote d'Ivoire to learn more about the role of Cote d'Ivoire's gendarmerie in strengthening national concord and in supporting post-crisis nation building programs. "Our major challenge is to explain to our people that democracy is not a war," General Kassarate was quoted as saying. Reporting on the same event, Fraternite Matin quoted the head of the Nigeria delegation, General G. M. Ringin, as saying that he was delighted by the way the Ivorian peace process is being conducted.

6. Soir Info (an independent daily) reported that clashes by opposing rival ethnic groups continued yesterday in the south-eastern town of Akoupe. According to the paper, one person was killed and at least 39 people were injured since the beginning of the riot on Wednesday. The report further said that local authorities are mediating between the two factions in order to put down the fire; and an emergency plan is set up in the town's main hospital to provide care to the injured people.

7. On a separate issue, L'inter published documents that shed more light on the potentially lethal nature of the toxic waste dumped in Cote d'Ivoire in 2006. The paper quoted reports saying that analysis of samples of the waste indicate that it contained approximately tons of hydrogen sulphide that is a killer gas.

8. Finally, on economic issues, a report in Fraternite Matin said African Development Bank's President Donald Kaberuka requested a 200% budget increase to reduce the impact of the global financial crisis on the African continent. Mr. Kaberuka, who was speaking Wednesday in Dakar, Senegal, during bank's General Assembly, was reported as saying: "this increase is justified and advisable."