United States Embassy (Abidjan)
23 November 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.
Monday's Ivorian press was dominated by reactions after the Constitutional Council published the list last Friday of the 14 candidates allowed to stand as candidates in the up-coming presidential race in Cote d'Ivoire. The display of the provisional voters' lists, the ongoing debate over the disarmament program, growing rumors about an imminent military attack, and the latest developments in the Ivorian peace process also made headlines in the dailies. On economic issues, the dailies reported on a meeting of West African economists in Abidjan and investigations into the cocoa and coffee embezzlement scandal. Other reports focused on a series of conferences organized last week by the US Embassy on media and leadership.
1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily) devoted its weekend edition to Friday's Constitutional Council ruling allowing 14 persons to stand as candidates in the up-coming presidential race in Cote d'Ivoire. The paper also published the text of the court's decision rejecting nominations from six other candidates on the grounds that they did not fulfill the conditions for eligibility. The paper further published pictures of the 14 successful candidates, including the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo and opposition heavyweights like Henri Konan Bedie (Ex-Ivorian President); Alassane Ouattara; the sole female candidate, Jacqueline Lohoues Oble; and an Ivorian popular comedian, Adama Dolo, better known as Adama Dahico.
2. A prominent story in Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) said the court's decision allowing the RDR's party leader Alassane Ouattara to stand for presidency marks the end of what the paper called "14 years of injustice and arbitrariness." The paper also saw Ouattara's candidature as the "accomplishment of a long struggle" and commented that the Constitutional Council's decision has saved Cote d'Ivoire from the period of instability that it went through during the past years. In a related development, in its weekend issue, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) speculated that the Constitutional Council had rendered its decision following increasing pressure. The paper however suggested that the surprise in the court's decision was the acceptance of comedian and actor Adama Dahico, who is a Malian by origin and who, according to a prominent story in Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the Ivorian Prime Minister), was saved by President Gbagbo. The paper predicted that the up-coming presidential elections would be one of the most disputed in Cote d'Ivoire, as the race will feature Ivorian political heavyweights like Gbagbo, Bedie and Ouattara.
3. A front-page story in Fraternite Matin informed readers that the provisional voter's register has been displayed in all the voting centers across the country. Meanwhile, the paper explained the difficulties potential voters are facing as they check their names on the electoral roll. The paper mentioned some areas like Yopougon in Abidjan and Korhogo, where not all the centers were operational. In some areas, the report further said, the centers were not secured. In a related development, the paper quoted the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) as announcing that the electoral body is now receiving petitions from those who do not find their names on the list.
4. On internal security, a prominent article in L'inter (an independent daily) warned against a potential military attack. According to the daily, dissidents from the New Forces' military branch led by Kone Zackaria are fomenting a coup to oust Prime Minister Soro Guillaume, whom they are accusing of betrayal. The operation, the paper added, is being simultaneously prepared in Abidjan and Daloa, where intensive rotations of suspect vehicles are reported. Enrollments of individuals to foster manpower are also reported.
5. The Council of Ministers of the West African Economic and Monetary Fund (UEMOA) gathered on November 20 in Abidjan to follow-up and monitor the implementation of a common policy to address debt. Reporting on the meeting, which brought together the Finance Ministers of the eight member states, L'inter (an independent daily) noted that some CFA Francs 700 billion out of 900 billion have been mobilized so far to clear interior debts. [Notes: UEMOA was created on January 10, 1994 in Senegal. It aims at promoting economic integration through macroeconomic convergence among its member countries, who share the CFA franc as a common currency.]
6. With updates on the embezzlement scandal in the Ivorian coffee and cocoa sector, Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition) noted that Mr. Lago Charles, a key detainee who managed to escape while in custody was again arrested as he was attempting to leave the country. The paper indicated that this arrest could shed light on the case of Franco-Canadian investigative journalist Guy-Andre Kieffer, who has been missing since April 2004.
7. Finally, Notre Voie (a daily close to the opposition party) reported on the IRC Book discussion on Primal Leadership held on Thursday 19. The daily noted that the panelists instructed the audience on the concept and its implications. Dr Tenin Toure, the paper underscored, called on the participants to develop their inherent qualities for social achievement. "We become leaders by learning," she explained.
In a related story, the daily published a report on the DVC on journalism organized by the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy on Wednesday, November 18. The daily noted that Professor George Kozalias delivered a lecture on the principles of Journalism and its obligations. "As journalists, we have to report news and not hear-say," Professor Kozalias was reported as saying to the audience. "Journalists have the duty to report issues of public interest; hence the importance for them to remain impartial," he added.
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