American Embassy's National Daily Press Review

May 8, 2008

Today’s Ivorian newspapers announced that the international community has contributed more than 115 billion Francs CFA (about 270 million US dollars) towards the peace process underway in Cote d’Ivoire. The identification; the meeting of the Permanent Consultative Committee overseeing the Ouagadougou Political Agreement scheduled for May 9 in Yamoussoukro; and the conference of the Ministers of Security of Community of Sahel-Saharan states (CEN-SAD) underway in Abidjan; are the other top stories in today’s newspapers.

1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): A prominent story in this paper said that seven months ahead of the presidential elections, some international donors, have contributed more than 115 billion Francs CFA (about 270 million US dollars) to support the implementation of the peace agreement signed between President Laurent Gbagbo and the leader of the New Forces turned Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro. According to the paper, "Part of these funds will cover the peace process and the remaining will be used to finance the electoral process." The announcement was made yesterday in Abidjan by the UN Secretary General Special Representative, Y.J. Choi during a press conference. According to the paper, Mr. Choi, called on the international community to stand by Cote d’Ivoire and play its part in the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. He concluded by saying "We’re now at the end of the tunnel."

2. Still on the implementation of the peace accord, Fraternite Matin announced that Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, who is also the facilitator in the Ivorian peace process, is due to arrive today in Yamoussoukro to take part in the third meeting of the Permanent Consultative Committee overseeing the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. According to the paper, the other members of the oversight committee including "President Gbagbo; the Ivorian Prime Minister Guillaume Soro; Cote d’Ivoire’s ex-president and leader of the former ruling PDCI-RDA party Henri Konan Bedie; and the leader of the opposition RDR party, Alassane Dramane Ouattara, will all attend this meeting." Though the paper did not elaborate on the agenda of this meeting, it said that the Permanent Consultative Committee, which has been tasked "to examine any question relating to the peace agreement," is also charged "to consolidate national cohesion" amongst the people of Cote d’Ivoire.

3. On the same subject, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) reported on the agenda of the Permanent Consultative Committee’s meeting. It quoted the facilitator’s representative in Cote d’Ivoire, Boureima Badini, as saying that "the meeting would focus on the financing and the issue of security during the electoral process."

4. Regarding the voter’s registration during the upcoming presidential elections, Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), the National Statistics Institute (INS) and SAGEM – the French group in charge of the identification process – are due to meet next week on the groundwork for the establishment of the new electoral rolls. According to the paper, this announcement was made yesterday by the Chairman of the CEI, Robert Beugre Mambe after a meeting with the heads of the INS and SAGEM. "We’ve had a very important meeting with SAGEM and INS to work on our collaboration on the registration of voters.

5. As the Permanent Consultative Committee is due to meet tomorrow, Notre Voie suggested that there would be a heated debate on many issues including "the disarmament of the former rebels," as the New Forces and the ruling FPI party are "divided over the deadline for the completion of the program."

6. L’inter (a privately-owned daily): In a prominent front-page story, the paper announced that barring the unexpected, "a crucial meeting" will bring together military top brass from the government defense and security forces, the New Forces, and impartial forces in Yamoussoukro today. Citing military sources, the newspaper suggested that the discussion may focus on "the disarmament program, especially the mode of operation to be used in the conduct of the scheme."

7. Fraternite Matin reported on the outcome of the visit of the Ivorian Prime Minister to the Middle-East. Soro, who returned back to Abidjan yesterday, told reporters that a mission of the Islamic Bank is expected in Cote d’Ivoire ion May 11 "to evaluate the peace process and the national service program," reported the paper.

8. In a separate story, Fraternite Matin reported that a meeting of Ministers of Security from the Community of Sahel-Saharan states (CEN-SAD) opened yesterday in Abidjan. According to the paper, discussions focus on "ways to improve security measures and combat small arms traffic in the region."