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NATIONAL DAILY PRESS REVIEW – JULY 9-31, 2012
American Embassy’s National Daily Press Review
If you are using this material, please include this disclaimer.
This daily press review is compiled by the Information Section of the Public Affairs Office of the
American Embassy in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The opinions expressed in these reviews in no way reflect
the views of the United States Government and are presented for informational purposes only. The
accuracy of reports contained in this summary has not been confirmed by the Embassy. For questions
regarding this service, please contact: Mr. Folli Teko in the Public Affairs Press Office,
JULY 31, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. Controversy over the death toll and the situation in western Cote d’Ivoire in the wake of
the deadly attacks near Duekoue
2. Four men arrested in Liberia in connection with the killing of U.N. peacekeepers in western
Cote d’Ivoire
3. Speculation ahead of August 13 hearing of Laurent Gbagbo at The Hague
4. Reports say more than 1,800 students sacked from the state universities
1. Controversy over the death toll and the situation in western Cote d’Ivoire in the wake of
the deadly attacks in Duekoue
The question of how many people were killed during the recent attacks near the western town of
Duekoue is the major issue on the front page of Le Patriote which accuses the opposition FPI party of
“lying” to Ivorians. “We’ve not released any figures,” the paper quotes the International Red Cross and
Red Crescent Movement as saying in reaction to allegations that more than 200 people were reported
dead in the course of events in Duekoue.
Meanwhile, a front-page story in Le Nouveau Courrier claims that two more bodies have been
discovered almost two weeks after the attacks in Duekoue. According to the article (p. 5), the bodies
were found after a search conducted by the families of the presumed deceased at the Nahibly
internally displaced persons camp near Duekoue. The report also says that the Ivorian authorities and
the UN Operation in Cote d’Ivoire have announced that six people were killed after the attacks in
Nahibly, but others in the region, the paper claims, counted 211 deaths based on figures provided by
the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and other eyewitnesses.
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“New bodies uncovered two weeks after the Duekoue massacre,” reads a banner headline in Notre
Voie. According to the paper (p. 4), the bodies were found yesterday a few meters away from
Nahibly internally displaced persons camp. Another article on the same page of this paper claims that
two injured persons, who have been transferred to a government hospital in Abidjan, have been
virtually “abandoned” and have not received medical treatment while a report in Fraternite Matin (p.
7) says that the victims are receiving “care” at the hospital.
Reporting on the volatile situation in the western Cote d’Ivoire, L’Inter carries a front-page story
suggesting that a “warlord” named “Amade Oueremi” is the “principal problem” in this region.
According to the paper (p. 4) the presumed warlord, also known as Ouedraogo Remi and his
combatants have taken control of the forests while the authorities in Cote d’Ivoire are doing nothing
about this situation. On the background of the so-called warlord, the paper writes: “Born in 1964, he
is a national of Burkina Faso who has been living in this region together with his parents since 1986.”
The report further says that from the 2002 rebellion through the recent post-electoral crisis in Cote
d’Ivoire, Amade Oueremi has been propelled as the leader of combatants who are dispersed across
the forests in the western region. Gross human rights violations committed by Amade Oueremi and his
men have been mentioned in many reports documented by both international and Ivorian human
rights groups, reports the paper.
2. Four men arrested in Liberia in connection with the killing of U.N. peacekeepers in
western Cote d’Ivoire
“Killing of seven UN peacekeepers: Four suspects arrested in Liberia,” says a prominent headline in
Le Patriote (p. 1). According to the paper (p. 5), the government of Liberia yesterday announced
that four persons suspected to be linked to the ambush that led to the killing of at least 18 persons,
including seven UN peacekeepers, along the border between Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia in early June are
in custody.
3. Speculation ahead of August 13 hearing of Laurent Gbagbo at The Hague
A front-page headline in Fraternite Matin, nearly three weeks before the confirmation of charges
hearing of former president Laurent Gbagbo at the International Criminal Court in connection with
crimes committed during last year’s post-electoral violence in Cote d’Ivoire, a judge “ponders the
chances of Gbagbo.” “The chances for Gbagbo to be declared not guilty are very slim,” the paper
quotes Mamadou Diane, a lawyer and a legal advisor to President Alassane Ouattara as saying in an
interview with the paper (p. 4).
4. Reports say more than 1,800 students sacked from the state universities
“University clean-up: 1,856 career students excluded,” says a banner headline in Fraternite Matin.
The article (p. 9) explains that the excluded students are those who have either spent three years in
one grade or seven years on the campus without earning a degree. According to the paper, Mr.
Augustin Mian, the leader of the militant group FESCI – the Cote d’Ivoire Student Federation – who
has reportedly spent 14 years on the campus, is one of the students who have been excluded by
university authorities. The paper also explains that the decision by the university authorities has
brought to an end a scheme dubbed “Parapluie Atomique,” that allowed Ivorian students to stay
indefinitely on the campus studying.
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With more on the state of the universities, a prominent headline in Nord-Sud Quotidien says that
despite the general uproar, the university authorities have not reconsidered their decision regarding
the increase of the registration fees at the state universities. The paper (p. 6), which underscores
“the independence” of the boards of governors of the universities, suggests that only the President of
the Republic can overrule the decision increasing the registration fees. Another report on the same
page of the paper discloses that the government has allocated more than FCFA 126 billion (about US
$236 million) for higher education in 2012.
In a related development, a report in L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (p. 3) says that student associations
are planning to stage sit-in demonstration to protest the increase of the registration fees. According to
a report in Le Temps (p. 3), the state broadcaster RTI has “censored” a story featuring public
reaction on the issue.
JULY 30, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. President Ouattara speaks on trials of Ivorians accused of crimes
2. General political atmosphere after recent violence in western Cote d’Ivoire
3. Ivorian Army embarks on landmine destruction exercise
4. More reactions after the increase of registration fees at the state universities
1. President Ouattara speaks on trials of Ivorians accused of crimes
Fraternite Matin (p. 4) quotes President Alassane Ouattara as saying that he would have wished
that “all Ivorians could be tried in Cote d’Ivoire.” According to the paper, the Ivorian leader was
speaking over the weekend during an interview with French international broadcaster RFI. Responding
to a question on why elements of the former New Forces who supported him during the post-electoral
crisis have not been charged, the president said: “I cannot drag people to court without evidence. If
people close to those who supported me have committed crimes they will be tried. There will be no
exceptions.”
Regarding those who were arrested and put behind bars after the arrest of the former Ivorian
president Laurent Gbagbo, Fraternite Matin (p. 4) quotes President Ouattara as saying, “These
personalities, who are in prison, have committed economic or blood crimes and they deserve to be in
prison.” The president also said that in order to shed light on the crisis that occurred in Cote d’Ivoire,
“a commission of inquiry has been put in place; its conclusions will be submitted to me in the coming
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days and all those who committed crimes will be held accountable.” The president also “condemned”
the recent events in western Cote d’Ivoire and vowed “to bring to justice those responsible for these
acts.”
“There will be other extraditions,” a front-page headline in Le Nouveau Reveil quotes President
Ouattara as saying about Ivorians who have sought refuge in other countries but on charges of
committing crimes. According to the paper (p. 3), President Ouattara, who arrived yesterday in
Abidjan after a four-nation trip, held a closed-door meeting with Ivorian army commanders
yesterday.
2. General political atmosphere after recent violence in western Cote d’Ivoire
A report in the weekend issue of Nord-Sud Quotidien (p. 5) quotes the head of the UN mission in
Cote d’Ivoire, Bert Koenders, as saying that “eleven people were killed” ten days ago during the
incidents that occurred in the western town of Duekoue. The report also says that the Mr. Koenders,
who was speaking Friday at a press conference in Abidjan, challenged the opposition FPI party to bring
forward evidence that “211 persons” were killed in the course of the event. “56 persons were wounded
and 5,000 have been displaced,” the paper quotes the head of the UN mission as saying. Mr. Koenders
also called on the Ivorian political stakeholders to exercise “restraint” and refrain from “giving false
information” in “such a difficult situation.”
Meanwhile, a report in Fraternite Matin (p. 7) says that the Ivorian authorities are to crack down on
traditional hunters, known as Dozos, and militia groups that are causing mayhem in the western
region. According to the paper, the announcement was made by a fact-finding mission that was sent
to the region in order to assess the situation on the ground after the recent attacks in Duekoue.
Ten days after the deadly attacks in the western city of Duekoue, Le Nouveau Reveil carries a front-
page story allegedly accusing the opposition FPI party of “planning an attack in eastern Cote d’ivoire.”
3. Ivorian Army embarks on landmine destruction exercise
A report in the weekend issue of Fraternite Matin (p. 6) says that the Ivorian Army has destroyed
400 landmines and other munitions in an attempt to rid the country of certain weapons that could
endanger the population. The report also says that the destruction of the mines was conducted in
accordance with the Ottawa Convention and that the exercise will be run through the month of
August.
4. More reactions after the increase of registration fees at the state universities
A front-page headline in Notre Voie says that the decision by the state universities to increase
student registration fees has triggered “anger against President Ouattara.” According to the paper (p.
7), LIDHO, an Ivorian human rights association, has denounced “an attempt against the right to
education,” while a prominent headline in Le Nouveau Courrier (p. 1) says that Charles Ble Goude,
the leader of the Young Patriots movement, has called on the Speaker of the National Assembly “to
reject” this decision.
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“Increase of registration fees at the state universities: RDR says no,” says a front-page banner
headline in Le Patriote. The paper publishes a statement issued by the party of President Ouattara
which describes the recent increase as “disproportionate.”
JULY 27, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. Ouattara and Hollande “open a new chapter” in French-Ivorian relations as the two leaders
met yesterday
2. UN Security Council on Thursday renewed the mandate of its peacekeeping force in Cote
d’Ivoire
3. PEPFAR’s support to fight HIV/AIDS in Cote d’Ivoire
4. Reactions after the increase of registration fees at the state universities
1. Ouattara and Hollande “open a new chapter” in French-Ivorian relations as the two
leaders met yesterday
With a picture of President Hollande warmly welcoming his Ivorian counterpart, President Ouattara, at
the Elysee Palace yesterday, Fraternite Matin carries a front-page banner headline reading,
“Hollande and Ouattara open a new chapter in Cote d’Ivoire-France relations.” According to the paper
(p. 4), the two leaders had a more than one-hour talk on many issues including the current political
situation in Cote d’Ivoire, one year after the post-electoral crisis in this country. “We’ve had a fruitful
discussion on the relations between our two countries but also on the situation in the Sahel,” the
paper quotes President Hollande as saying. On the situation in Cote d’Ivoire, the paper quotes
President Ouattara as saying, “There will no longer be impunity in Cote d’Ivoire.”
Another report in Fraternite Matin (p. 7) says that President Ouattara met with French Defense
Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian during his official visit to France. Speaking after this meeting, Mr. Le Drian
reportedly said that his meeting with the Ivorian leader, who is also the chairman of the West African
ECOWAS group, focused on the situation in Mali. The new defense agreement between France and
Cote d’Ivoire was also high on the agenda, reports the paper.
“President Hollande has called for a partnership based on transparency and the fight against
corruption,” says a headline in L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (p. 5), while a front-page headline in Le
Patriote says that the Ivorian president has “thanked the French government for its debt
forgiveness.” The paper, which describes the meeting between Presidents Hollande and Ouattara
yesterday in Paris as “warm,” quotes the French president as saying “Ouattara is a friend and a
statesman.”
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In the wake of President Ouattara’s visit to France, Nord-Sud Quotidien carries a front-page banner
headline suggesting that the meeting between the Ivorian leader and his French counterpart has
“shattered the dream of Gbagbo’s supporters.” Meanwhile, a front-page headline in Le Nouveau
Courrier suggests that the French president used the occasion to teach a lesson to Ouattara on many
issues, including “security, reconciliation and justice.” “Cote d’Ivoire-France cooperation: Hollande
impose conditions on the Duekoue torturer,” reads a front-page headline in Notre Voie.
2. UN Security Council on Thursday renewed the mandate of its peacekeeping force in Cote
d’Ivoire
A front-page headline in Fraternite Matin says the UN Security Council on Thursday renewed the
mandate of its peacekeeping force in Cote d’Ivoire. According to the paper (p. 7), the Security Council
has also decided to cut a battalion from UNOCI's military component, leaving 8,837 soldiers, while
keeping the police component unchanged at 1,555. The report further says that the Security Council
has added three armed helicopters to the UN force in Cote d’Ivoire, which will be taken from the UN
Mission in Liberia. The three helicopters, reports the paper, will to be used to patrol the border
between the two countries.
3. PEPFAR’s support to fight HIV/AIDS in Cote d’Ivoire
A report in Fraternite Matin (p. 13) says that PEPFAR has donated motorcycles to government
health centers in order to boost the fight against HIV/AIDS in Cote d’Ivoire. The paper quotes
PEPFAR’s interim director, Terri Wingate, as saying that the donation, valued at FCFA 15,156,000
(about US $28,000), will help reinforce the capacity of the health centers to provide assistance to
HIV/AIDS orphans and other children who have become vulnerable as a result of the disease.
4. Reactions after the increase of registration fees at the state universities
A prominent headline in Le Nouveau Reveil (p. 1) has declared “unpopular” the decision by the
government to increase of registration fees at the state universities. Officials of the national
universities on Wednesday announced that the registration fees for undergraduate students will now
be fixed at FCFA 100,000 (about US $184) against FCFA 6,000 (about US $11) in the past. “New
registration fees: The poor excluded from the universities,” reads a front-page headline in Nord-Sud
Quotidien, while a front-page headline in Le Patriote says that “the high university fees have
triggered a general outcry.”
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JULY 26, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. On a visit to France, President Ouattara vows to hold accountable those who commit crimes
following recent attack in western Cote d’Ivoire
2. Attack in western Cote d’Ivoire: Opposition FPI party accuses UNOCI and the government
of genocide and calls for investigation
3. Speaker of the National Assembly commends USG for its support in improving working
conditions of MPs
4. “Court clears former minister from any wrongdoing in toxic waste scandal,” reports say
5. Registration fees at the state universities to increase
6. West African military commanders meet in Abidjan to prepare military intervention in Mali
1. On a visit to France, President Ouattara vows to hold accountable those who commit
crimes following recent attack in western Cote d’Ivoire
With a picture of President Ouattara on its front page, Le Patriote carries a prominent headline
reading, “Duekoue: Nobody will be spared.” The paper attributes this statement to the Ivorian leader,
who was speaking to French international broadcaster TV5 yesterday in Paris. “Everybody will be
brought to justice,” the paper (p. 3) quotes President Ouattara as saying about the recent attack in
the western town of Duekoue that reportedly killed at least 13 people. On the dialogue between the
ruling coalition in Cote d’Ivoire and the opposition FPI party, the president said “We’re condemned to
live together.” President Ouattara, who is also the chairman of the West African ECOWAS group, said
that “the regional block will help the authorities in Mali to retake the rebel-controlled northern
regions.”
“The massacres that occurred in Duekoue won’t remain unpunished,” Le Nouveau Reveil (p. 6)
quotes President Ouattara as saying. The paper, which carries a front-page banner headline reading
“Ouattara responds to the FPI,” quotes (p. 6) the president as saying, “I’ll continue holding out my
hand of friendship to the FPI.”
On the agenda of President Ouattara’s official visit to France, a front-page headline in Fraternite
Matin announces that the Ivorian leader is scheduled to meet President Francois Hollande today at
the Elysee Palace in Paris. The Ivorian president met yesterday with French Foreign Affairs Minister,
Laurent Fabius who, according to the paper (p. 5), praised the French-Ivorian strong relations as “an
old partnership that neither time nor tribulations, which came across history, can erode,” adding,
“We’ll move forward as France and Cote d’Ivoire are friends.”
Meanwhile with a front-page banner headline on a black background, Notre Voie sounds negative
about President Ouattara’s visit to France. “Ouattara in a hot spot,” says a prominent headline in this
paper, which informs readers that activists and movements from both Cote d’Ivoire and other
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countries on the African continent are set to gather today at the Elysee Palace to protest “the re-
colonization of the black continent.” On the topic of freedom of the press in Cote d’Ivoire, the paper
(p. 6) reports that Reporters Without Borders, a French press defense group, is calling on President
Hollande to use his meeting with his Ivorian counterpart to push for “press freedom” in Cote d’Ivoire.
“Stand up against Ouattara,” reads a front-page headline in Le Nouveau Courrier, which describes
President Ouattara’s statement yesterday in Paris as “a festival of lies.”
2. Attack in western Cote d’Ivoire: Opposition FPI party accuses UNOCI and the government
of genocide and calls for investigation
“Duekoue Massacres: FPI accuses Ouattara and UNOCI of genocide,” reads a prominent headline in Le
Nouveau Courrier (p. 1). “Massacres at the displaced camp in Duekoue: Ouattara is guilty,” reads
another prominent front page headline in Le Temps, which attributes this statement to the opposition
FPI party, whose executives held a press conference yesterday to call for “the resignation of the
government” following last week’s attack in the western town of Duekoue. “The ruling power wants to
massacre the We ethnic group and send Ivorian farmers out of this zone,” the paper (p. 7) quotes
Laurent Akoun, the General Secretary of the opposition party as saying.
“Genocide of the We ethnic group: FPI accuses Ouattara and UNOCI,” says a front-page headline in
Notre Voie, which (p. 3) accuses President Ouattara’s government of “refusing to disarm its militia
groups.”
Meanwhile, a report in Le Patriote (p. 5) says that “The FPI has unveiled its plan to incite the We
ethnic group to revolt.” Le Nouveau Reveil (p. 1) denounces “a dangerous speech” on the part of
the leaders of the opposition party and accuses them of trying to turn the western region of Cote
d’Ivoire into another “northern Mali.” Another front-page headline in this paper announces that the
government will deploy a military battalion to the troubled Ivorian western region in a bid to curtail
recurrent armed attacks.
Reporting on the same issue, Fraternite Matin (p. 4) says that the opposition FPI party has
demanded the government to put in place a commission of inquiry to investigate the attack on the
displaced persons camp in western Cote d’Ivoire. The party of former Ivorian president Laurent
Gbagbo has also called for “immediate sanctions against government officials and security forces
based in this region.” The party leaders, who were speaking yesterday at a press conference in
Abidjan, reportedly pressed for “the dismantlement of Ouremi militia group” operating in this region.
3. Speaker of the National Assembly commends USG for its support in improving working
conditions of MPs
Nord-Sud Quotidien (p. 3) today carries a speech by the Speaker of the National Assembly,
Guillaume Soro, who commended the National Democratic Institute (NDI), USAID and other
international donors and partners for their contributions that helped improve the working conditions of
the new MPs. Mr. Soro was speaking yesterday in Abidjan during the closing ceremony of the first
ordinary session of the National Assembly.
4. “Court clears former minister from any wrongdoing in toxic waste scandal,” reports say
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A front-page headline in Soir Info suggests that Adama Bictogo, a former minister of integration in
President Ouattara’s administration, who was sacked following allegations of his implication in a toxic
waste scandal, has been “cleared” by the Attorney General from any wrongdoing.
5. Registration fees at the government universities to increase
Officials of the national universities yesterday announced that the registration fees for undergraduate
students are now fixed at FCFA 100,000 (about US $184), reports Fraternite Matin (p. 12). With
nearly a month to go before the reopening of the universities, which have been closed since the 2011
post-electoral crisis in Cote d’Ivoire, the decision to increase the tuition fees has sparked outcry from
the public, reports the paper. “From FCFA 6,000 (about US $11) to US $184, the increase of the
registration fees is too high,” the paper quotes a parent in Abidjan as saying. Notre Voie describes
the increase as “ADO solutions for the students,” while a front-page headline in L’Inter says that the
fees have been increased by “1,600 percent.”
6. West African military commanders meet in Abidjan to prepare military intervention in
Mali
A report in Fraternite Matin (p. 32) says that a panel of ECOWAS military commanders held an
emergency meeting yesterday in Abidjan “to evaluate the conclusions of a fact-finding mission in
Mali.” “The meeting is to examine the conclusions of a technical mission in Mali in order to work out
modalities for the deployment of the force of MICEMA [ECOWAS Mission in Mali],” the paper quotes
General Soumaila Bakayoko, the Ivorian Chief of Defense Staff as saying. “The task of this force is to
help consolidate the institutions in Bamako, reinforce the Mali Armed Forces, and to support and back
this army in order to reestablish Mali’s territorial integrity,” General Bakayoko reportedly said.
JULY 25, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. President Ouattara’s visit to France
2. Government reaction following the attack on a displaced persons camp in western Cote
d’Ivoire
3. Media reaction after the death of Ghana’s President John Evans Atta Mills
1. President Ouattara’s visit to France
A front-page story in Fraternite Matin says that France has cancelled FCFA 1.968 trillion (about US
$3.6 billion) of Cote d’Ivoire’s debt. An article in this paper (p. 7) says that the debt cancellation was
announced yesterday after Ivorian Finance and Economy Minister Charles Koffi Diby and his French
counterpart, Pierre Moscovici, signed an agreement. The report also says that President Alassane
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Ouattara attended the ceremony, which is a mark of “the French government’s engagement to support
Cote d’Ivoire’s economic revival.” “Cote d’Ivoire remains our main commercial partner in the Franc
Zone,” the paper quotes the French Finance and Economy Minister as saying during the ceremony.
A report in Le Patriote (p. 6) says that President Ouattara, who arrived in Paris on Tuesday, is
scheduled to hold talks with his French counterpart Francois Hollande on Thursday. The paper also
announces that the Ivorian leader is also expected in the United Kingdom where he will be meeting
with Queen Elizabeth II.
On the significance of President Ouattara’s official visit to France, the second one since he assumed
the reins of power in Cote d’Ivoire, L’Inter (p. 4) suggests that the reinforcement of Ivorian-French
relations and the crisis in Mali will be high on the agenda during the meeting between Ouattara and
Hollande. Other issues such as the human rights situation in Cote d’Ivoire and the security and
military cooperation between Cote d’Ivoire and France will be also addressed by the two presidents.
According to the newspaper, President Ouattara will also have to reassure his French counterpart of
his commitment to guarantee equal justice in his country.
On the security situation in Cote d’Ivoire, a report in Le Temps (p. 5) quotes an official at the French
Foreign Affairs Ministry as saying that “the situation in Cote d’Ivoire is not yet stabilized.” “Hollande to
hold Ouattara accountable,” reads a front-page banner headline in Notre Voie. According to the
paper, the French Communist Party has denounced “Ouattara’s repressive policy,” as the Ivorian
president is visiting France.
2. Government reaction following the attack on a displaced persons camp in western Cote
d’Ivoire
The Ivorian government have pledged “to punish the perpetrators of crimes” that were committed last
week during the attack on a displaced persons camp in western Cote d’Ivoire, reports Fraternite
Matin (p. 7). In a statement issued yesterday the government “warned all those who are taking
advantage of the grief of the population after these barbaric acts.” The statement also calls on
Ivorians “to live peacefully” in a bid to guarantee “a lasting peace in our country.” The government
has announced an immediate investigation into the case in order to identify and punish those who
committed the crimes.
In a related development, the state broadcaster RTI TV yesterday carried footage of government
spokesperson Bruno Kone, who disclosed that an additional contingent of government forces will be
soon deployed in order to monitor security in the western region of Cote d’Ivoire.
Reporting on the situation in the western region of the country, Le Temps (p. 1) carries a prominent
headline saying that more than 200 people were killed and thousands are missing after the incidents
in Duekoue. “The settlement policy underway in the west must stop,” L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (p. 5)
quotes an MP from the western region as saying.
A front-page headline in Le Nouveau Reveil says that “The government is to send an important
delegation to the western region,” in order to evaluate the situation on the ground. The paper also
denounces what it sees as “inflammatory rhetoric” on the part of some opinion leaders in the region.
“The FPI is organizing a rebellion in the west,” reads a front page headline in Le Patriote.
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On other security issues, a front-page report in Nord-Sud Quotidien says that 300 soldiers are now
deployed at MACA, a prison in Abidjan, in order to prevent further escapes of inmates.
In another development, a report in Fraternite Matin (p. 8) says that two former combatants were
killed and many others wounded following a clash between two factions of government forces.
According to the report, the incident occurred at Anonkoi-Koute in the Abobo district of Abidjan.
3. Media reaction after the death of Ghana’s President John Evans Atta Mills
In the wake of the death of Ghana’s President John Evans Atta Mills, Fraternite Matin carries a front-
page headline saying “Ghanaian democracy put to the test.” The paper also reports that Vice-
president John Dramani Mahama was, on Tuesday night, sworn into office as the 4th president of the
fourth republic of Ghana.
JULY 24, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. On a visit to the U.S., Ivorian First Lady meets officials at the State Department over anti-
child labor campaign
2. Cote d’Ivoire’s Human Rights Commission presents a report on the human rights situation
in the country
3. The security situation in western Cote d’Ivoire after last week’s killings
1. On a visit to the U.S., Ivorian First Lady meets officials at the State Department over anti-
child labor campaign
A front-page headline in Le Patriote says that “The United States has commended Cote d’Ivoire for
its efforts in fighting child labor.” The paper, which carries a picture of Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton and Ivorian First Lady Dominique Ouattara on its front page, reports (p. 7) that the two
women met yesterday after a meeting between Mrs. Ouattara and officials – including Mr. Johnnie
Carson, Assistant Secretary of State in
the Bureau of African Affairs – at the State Department in Washington over the campaign against
child labor in Cote d’Ivoire. According to the report, Secretary Clinton underscored efforts being
deployed by the authorities in Cote d’Ivoire to eradicate this phenomenon and congratulated President
Alassane Ouattara for his efforts to reposition his country in the world.
2. Cote d’Ivoire’s Human Rights Commission presents a report on the human rights
situation in the country
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A front-page headline in Fraternite Matin says that the head of Cote d’Ivoire’s Human Rights
Commission is “unhappy” about the human rights situation in this country. The paper (p. 4) also
reports that Mrs. Victorine Wodie has called on the authorities in Cote d’Ivoire “to address the
situation.” “The crisis has led to gross human rights violations that became rampant in 2011 following
the dispute over the results of the 2010 presidential elections,” Mrs Wodie is quoted as saying
yesterday in Abidjan as she presented the human rights report. The paper also reports that the head
of the Human Rights Commission proposed “reforms” to facilitate the work of this commission.
“Torture has become commonplace in Cote d’Ivoire,” a front-page headline in Le Nouveau Courrier
quotes the head of the Human Rights Commission as saying. “LIDHO and Victorine Wodie slam
Ouattara’s regime,” reads a front-page headline in Le Temps, while a report in Nord-Sud Quotidien
(p. 4) suggests that the Human Rights Commission has “accused” supporters of the former president,
Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, and those of President Ouattara of human rights violations. “Human rights
violations in Cote d’Ivoire: The situation has become worse,” reads a prominent in Notre Voie (p. 1)
which attributes this statement to Mrs. Wodie.
According to a banner headline in L’Intelligent d’Abidjan, the human rights report further
denounces “a form of colonization of lands in western Cote d’Ivoire by aliens who mainly come from
Burkina Faso.” The report, the paper (p. 6) says, presents this phenomenon as a system that consists
of “snatching lands from local people and giving them to Burkinabe settlers with the backing of foreign
armed groups.”
3. The security situation in western Cote d’Ivoire after last week’s killings
Last week’s attack that reportedly left 13 people dead in the troubled western town of Duekoue and
the surrounding area continues to be one of the dominant issues in the Ivorian press with a banner
headline in Nord-Sud Quotidien (p. 1) reading: “Duekoue: FPI is putting more fuel on the fire.”
According to the paper (p. 2), the party of the former president is using the volatile situation in the
west of the country “to bring down Ouattara’s regime.”
With gruesome pictures of alleged victims on its front page, Notre Voie accuses President Ouattara’s
regime of “not telling the truth” to Ivorians about the “massacre committed at the internally displaced
persons camp in Nahibly near Duekoue” and denounces “a bankrupt state.” On the general situation of
human rights situation in Cote d’Ivoire, the paper (p. 4) quotes Yacouba Doumbia, an Ivorian human
rights activist, who expressed “concerns” about “alleged kidnappings, arbitrary arrests and
racketeering blamed on the government’s FRCI forces.”
“Who wants to set the west ablaze?” asks a prominent headline in Le Patriote (p. 1), which accuses
the former ruling FPI party of trying “to use the Ivorian western region as a rebellion launching pad.”
Speaking on the situation in the troubled western region, the deputy for Duekoue, Oula Privat, claimed
the UN Operation in Cote d’Ivoire “was protecting the militia groups in Nahibly,” says a prominent
headline in Le Nouveau Reveil (p. 1). The lawmaker has also complained about the fact that “people
from the local We ethnic group have been deprived of their forests.”
Meanwhile, L’Inter (p. 4) warns against any “ethnic tendency” as the cause of the violence in this
region. The paper also carries an article on the same page saying that LIDHO, an Ivorian human rights
13
group, has accused the government’s FRCI forces and traditional hunters, widely known as Dozos, for
being “responsible” for the attack on the camp in Nahibly.
JULY 23, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. Reactions following the attack on a displaced persons camp in western Cote d’Ivoire
2. President Ouattara’s upcoming official visit to France
3. Journalists trained on the functioning of the International Criminal Court
4. Journalists urged to help support campaign against teenage pregnancy
5. An American NGO embarks on a campaign against HIV/AIDS
6. Government sets up private TV license commission
7. Ivorian First Lady rewarded for her engagement to fight child labor
1. Reactions following the attack on a displaced persons camp in western Cote d’Ivoire
“Massive killings and impunity in Cote d’Ivoire: U.S., EU and UN threaten Ouattara,” says a prominent
headline in Le Temps (p. 6). Reacting to last week’s attack that reportedly left 13 people dead in the
troubled western town of Duekoue and the surrounding area, the paper suggests that the U.S.
government, through its embassy in Cote d’Ivoire, is not happy about “the negligence” and the
“incapacity” of the government of President Alassane Ouattara “to ensure security” for the people of
Cote d’Ivoire. “The U.S. government has called for an immediate investigation into the causes of these
violent incidents and for the Government of Cote d’Ivoire to hold responsible parties accountable,” the
paper quotes a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan as saying.
“Massacre in a refugee camp in Duekoue: U.S., EU and Switzerland are unhappy,” writes Le
Nouveau Courrier (p. 5). According to the article, the U.S. government has “strongly condemned”
the violence that occurred Thursday and Friday in western Cote d’Ivoire in the town of Duekoue, and
in the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Nahibly near Duekoue. The report also says the U.S.
government has called on the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and the United Nations Operation in Côte
d’Ivoire (UNOCI) “to take immediate action to ensure the protection of civilians in the region.”
With a headline reading “Ouattara’s total unresponsiveness,” Notre Voie (p. 2) calls the recent event
in Duekoue “a drama” and accuses traditional hunters, widely known as Dozos, and government FRCI
soldiers allegedly backed by youths from the Malinke ethnic group of “setting ablaze” the internally
displaced persons camp in Duekoue. The paper also claims that more than 200 people, mostly from
14
the We ethnic group, were killed during the event. “Curiously, the Ivorian Head of State, Alassane
Dramane Ouattara, looks unconcerned about this tragedy and quietly continues his trip outside the
country while the UN and the U.S. are calling for investigations into the matter,” comments the paper.
“They have the license to kill,” reads a front-page editorial in this paper, which quotes (p. 3) an
unidentified soldier claiming that “government forces have massacred more than 60 youths from the
We ethnic group.”
A front-page story in Soir Info, however, says that the government has taken “urgent measures” to
reinforce security in the region. According to the paper, the decision was taken during an emergency
meeting following the killings in Duekoue. Another front-page headline in this paper says that the
Ivorian government and the UN are “blaming” each other for failing to protect the refugee camp.
A front-page headline in Le Patriote quotes President Ouattara, in a statement issued by the Ministry
of Defense, as saying that “the perpetrators will be brought to justice,” while Prime Minister Jeannot
Ahoussou Kouadio has called for “calm.”
Meanwhile, a report in Fraternite Matin (p. 2) says that the government met with UN officials over
the weekend in an effort to find ways to address the security concerns in western Cote d’Ivoire.
“We’ve discussed with the Prime Minister the ways and means to guarantee security and restore peace
to enable the population in Duekoue to live a normal life in this region,” the paper quotes the deputy
head of the UN mission in Cote d’Ivoire, Arnauld Akodjenou, as saying after the meeting. Another
article in this paper (p. 3) quotes Mr. Akodjenou, who announced that the UN has put in place
measures to facilitate the activities of aid workers. On the situation on the ground, Fraternite Matin
(p. 2) explains how the Ivorian western regions have become “a powder keg” where different
communities are finding it “difficult to live together.”
2. President Ouattara’s upcoming official visit to France
With pictures of President Ouattara and his French counterpart Francois Holland on its front-page,
Fraternite Matin explains “the rationale” behind the upcoming official visit of the Ivorian president to
France. According to the paper, Presidents Ouattara and Holland are scheduled to meet on July 26 to
discuss the “traditional” relations between their two countries. The meeting between the two leaders
will also afford them the opportunity to review Paris’ engagements to support Cote d’Ivoire.
3. Journalists trained on the functioning of the International Criminal Court
In order to enable the media to understand the functioning of the International Criminal Court (ICC),
Ivorian journalists received training last week in Abidjan, reports Fraternite Matin (p. 8). “The aim
of this training was to train the Ivorian journalists to have a better understanding of the ICC,” the
paper quotes one of the speakers during the seminar as saying. The speaker also reportedly said that
this training will help the journalists acquire knowledge about the role of the ICC and the skills to
cover the court’s procedures.
4. Journalists urged to help support campaign against teenage pregnancy
A report in the weekend issue Fraternite Matin (p. 11) says that the UN Population Fund has urged
journalists to support an awareness campaign against teenage pregnancy in Cote d’Ivoire. According
15
to the paper, the call was made last week during a training organized by REPMASCI, a network of
journalists and artists engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
5. An American NGO embarks on a campaign against HIV/AIDS
A report in today’s issue of Fraternite Matin (p. 11) says that Chantry Garden Medical, an American
non-profit organization, has launched a campaign aimed at reducing the level of HIV/AIDS infection in
the Abidjan suburb of Yopougon.
6. Government sets up private TV license commission
The government has set up a nine-member panel whose task is to grant licenses to individuals willing
to operate private television and radio stations in Cote d’Ivoire, says a report in the weekend edition
of Fraternite Matin (p. 20). The commission is chaired by Mrs. Fofana Karpe Maimouna, a chief of
staff at the Ministry of Communication, reports the paper. The commission will reportedly start work
after HACA, the state-run broadcast regulatory body, opens the bidding for the launch of private
television stations.
7. Ivorian First Lady rewarded for her engagement to fight child labor
A report in Fraternite Matin (p. 11) says that the U.S.-based World Cocoa Foundation has granted
an award to Ivorian First Lady Dominique Ouattara for “her campaign against child labor.” Mrs
Ouattara received the award during her visit last week to Washington, the report says.
JULY 20, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. President Ouattara eyes Chinese support for Cote d’Ivoire’s economic recovery
2. UN special envoy Bert Koenders says Cote d’Ivoire needs continued support despite
improvements
3. Ivorian journalists trained on human rights issues
4. Israeli law enforcement agents arrest undocumented Ivorian migrants
1. President Ouattara eyes Chinese support for Cote d’Ivoire’s economic recovery
On the margin of the China-Africa Forum which opened yesterday in Beijing, President Alassane
Ouattara met with Chinese businessmen to discuss business opportunities in Cote d’Ivoire. The
information was reported by Fraternite Matin (p. 4) which noted that the Ivorian leader called for
more investment in Cote d’Ivoire. “Cote d’Ivoire offers attractive macro-economic incentives for
investors,” he reportedly said, arguing that as security is gradually improving the country is reversing
16
a decade of economic decline. According to the daily, which cited President Ouattara, many
opportunities are awaiting Chinese investors in agribusiness, tourism, and mining as well as in the
construction and food processing sectors.
In a separate development, the paper noted that the Chinese government intends to invest US $20
billion as part of its new engagement policy on the African continent.
2. UN special envoy Bert Koenders says Cote d’Ivoire needs continued support despite
improvements
According to United Nations special envoy in Cote d’Ivoire Bert Koenders, despite achievements made
during recent months, Cote d’Ivoire still needs support to address the country’s major challenges.
Providing details, Fraternite Matin (p. 7) noted that in an address made Wednesday at the UN
Security Council, Koenders underscored that important challenges, including a volatile security
situation and the need for progress on the national reconciliation process, hamper efforts towards
stability. He called for actions to tackle the root causes of the conflict and promote reconciliation
through concrete measures, emphasizing the need to strengthen the rule of law and the restoration of
state authority nationwide, the paper added.
With more on the issue, Soir Info (p. 4) noted that the Ivorian government is opposed to a proposal
to reduce the troop strength of the United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI). According to
the daily, in his report, Koenders proposed to pull a battalion out of UNOCI’s authorized military force.
The decision, the paper said, was rejected by the Ivorian Ambassador at the UN, Youssoufou Bamba,
who pleaded for an extension of the UN mandate with its current configuration. The daily further noted
that UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has voiced concerns about the volatile security situation in the
western part of the country along the border with Liberia.
This development came as a report by the French wire service AFP, posted today on
www.abidjan.net, said that four people were killed in an overnight raid yesterday by unidentified
men in the western town of Duekoue. As a result of the incident, the main refugee camp in the town
was attacked and burnt down by a group of armed youths accompanied by traditional hunters, known
as dozos, and members of the FRCI, Cote d’Ivoire’s national army..
3. Ivorian journalists trained on human rights issues
According to a report in Fraternite Matin (p. 7) a two-day capacity-building workshop was recently
organized to train Ivorian journalists on human rights issues. According to Ivorian Minister of Human
Rights Gnenema Coulibaly, the session aimed at engaging Ivorian reporters in the government’s
efforts to promote human rights. “The Ivorian press has played a rather notorious role during the
country’s crisis and we now want to engage them in the promotion of human rights,” he reportedly
said. Ivorian veteran journalist and human rights specialist Jean Noel Yao is among panelists, the
paper added.
4. Israeli law enforcement agents arrest undocumented Ivorian migrants
According to an article in Nord-Sud Quotidien (p. 2) Israeli law enforcement agents have arrested
some 180 Ivorian nationals. The individuals are said to be undocumented migrants who have recently
17
been requested to leave the country. The paper denounced what it called the abusive use of force by
Israeli immigration agents.
JULY 19, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. Finance Minister Charles Koffi Diby briefs MPs on the country’s development prospects
2. Reconciliation Commission chairman Charles Konan Banny meets with pro-Gbagbo youth
movement members
3. ICC judge denies bail to former president Laurent Gbagbo
4. Liberian authorities arrest three suspects in cross-border attack
1. Finance Minister Charles Koffi Diby briefs MPs on the country’s development prospects
According to an article in L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (p. 4) Ivorian Finance Minister Charles Koffi Diby
briefed the Ivorian parliament yesterday on the country’s development prospects. Citing Mr. Koffi
Diby, the paper argued that the country’s admission under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
Initiative (HIPC) is likely to boost and promote investment in the country. This upbeat projection
paves the way for economic growth similar to what the country achieved in the first decades that
followed its independence in 1960, Mr. Koffi Diby said, adding that public investment will equal 9.1
percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2015.
Reacting to concerns about how soon this development will impact the lives of Ivorians, Fraternite
Matin (p. 19) noted that Mr. Diby underscored that efforts are still needed to secure the recovery of
the country’s economy. “I have so far made no commitment of any sort,” he reportedly said, arguing
that all challenges could not be addressed at a time.
2. Reconciliation Commission Chairman Charles Konan Banny meets with pro-Gbagbo youth
movement members
According to a report in Notre Voie (p. 5) the chairman of the Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (CDVR), Charles Konan Banny, met yesterday in Abidjan with members of Charles Ble
Goude’s youth association, the Congrès Panafricain des Jeunes Patriotes (COJEP). On the occasion, the
paper said, the COJEP leadership committed to supporting the work of the commission, arguing that
this move is in line with their fugitive leader’s decision to partner with Mr. Banny.
L’Inter (p. 2) noted that COJEP’s interim president Ble Sepe, pleaded for the release of their
partisans in jails. “Our movement is not a militia,” he reportedly said.
18
Le Patriote (p. 4), for its part, noted that this charm offensive is not likely to erase the history of
violence of the group, arguing that former president Laurent Gbagbo’s right-hand man’s youth
association is to be blamed for violence that followed the 2010 presidential election.
3. ICC judge denies bail to former president Laurent Gbagbo
A judge at the International Criminal Court has denied bail to former president Laurent Gbagbo. The
information was reported by Soir Info (p. 3) which noted that ICC judge Silvia Fernandez de
Gurmendi argued that under the current circumstances the ex-leader cannot be granted bail, citing
potential risks and interference a release of the ex-leader could have on the case. The hearing to
confirm the charges against Mr. Gbagbo, who is accused of human rights abuses and blood crimes, is
scheduled to start on August 13.
4. Liberian authorities arrest three suspects in cross-border attack
According to a report in L’Inter (p. 2), Liberian authorities have arrested three individuals allegedly
involved in the recent raid by a gang that killed seven peacekeepers in Cote d’Ivoire’s Tai region,
along the country’s border with Liberia. Their arrest follows the extradition of 41 suspected Ivorian
militia members by the Liberian government earlier this month, the paper said.
Nord-Sud (p. 3) for its part noted that among the 41 individuals recently extradited from Liberia was
former president Laurent Gbagbo’s nephew, Henri-Joel Guehi Bleka, alias Rougeo. According to the
newspaper, Guehi Bleka has been implicated in the kidnapping and killing of French citizen Yves
Lambelin and his colleagues from Abidjan’s Novotel Hotel during the height of the post-electoral crisis
in April, 2011.
JULY 18, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. Ivorian electoral commission announces local elections and new parliamentary election in two
cities
2. President Ouattara calls on Chinese officials to support the recovery of Cote d’Ivoire
3. Ivorian press watchdog calls on journalists to report responsibly
4. Gbagbo’s FPI says the government has no intention to engage in dialogue with the opposition
1. Ivorian electoral commission announces local elections and new parliamentary election
in two cities
In a statement issued yesterday, the Ivorian electoral body, known as the Commission Electorale
Indépendante (CEI), said local elections to elect the country’s mayors and regional officials are to be
19
held soon. Fraternite Matin (p. 8) noted that Mr. Yousouf Bakayoko, the chairman of the electoral
commission, said the government will have to decide on the exact date for the holding of these
elections. According to the daily, the CEI has also decided to reverse the results of the parliamentary
elections in the towns of Bonon and Facobly where the initial poll was reportedly marred by violence
and irregularities. New elections will be held in these towns, the paper added.
2. President Ouattara calls on Chinese officials to support the recovery of Cote d’Ivoire
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara kicked-off his four-day visit to China yesterday. The information
was reported by Fraternite Matin (p. 5) which noted that President Ouattara is due to meet with his
Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao this Friday. Welcomed upon his arrival by Chinese officials, including
Chinese Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire Zhang Guoqing, the paper noted that the Ivorian leader has
called on the Chinese government to support the development of the African continent and particularly
Cote d’Ivoire. “We have great ambitions for our country and the African continent and we would like
China to partner with us to achieve these ambitions,” the paper reported the Ivorian leader as saying
in his opening address.
3. Ivorian press watchdog calls on journalists to report responsibly
Officials from the Conseil National de la Presse (CNP), the country’s print media regulator, met
yesterday in Abidjan with publishers to discuss ways to promote a more professional and responsible
way of reporting. The meeting was the subject of prominent articles in the press today. According to
an article in L’Inter (p. 13), CNP president Raphael Lakpe said the meeting is part of his effort to
build mutual trust between the CNP and media professionals who, he underscored, pursue the same
goal of serving their country despite their distinctive roles and capacities. On the occasion, the paper
added, Mr. Lakpe denounced the most recurrent forms of violations of press ethics and other
shortcomings impairing the press in Cote d’Ivoire. According to the daily, Mr. Lakpe outlined a total of
20 ethics “breaches” including offenses against the president and the heads of state institutions. He
also denounced the use of abusive language and rhetoric of hatred and xenophobia by some media
outlets.
An article in Le Nouveau Reveil (p. 12) noted, for its part, that Mr. Lakpe said that the CNP will
sanction papers alleging that President Ouattara came to power after ousting by coup former president
Laurent Gbagbo.
Still on the issue, Notre Voie (p. 9) criticized Mr. Lakpe’s remarks as an attempt to re-write the
recent history of the country. The paper went on to criticize Mr. Lakpe’s objectivity and motives saying
that the RDR militant’s actions at the CNP do not bode well for the future of press freedom in Cote
d’Ivoire.
4. Gbagbo’s FPI says the government has no intention to engage in dialogue with the
opposition
According to a report in Notre Voie (p. 2), the Ivorian government has no real intention to engage in
dialogue with the opposition. The daily argued that that the FPI’s demands, including the release of
political prisoners and the safe return of partisans of the ex-leader in exile, have so far not been
addressed by the government. In a statement issued by the FPI leadership yesterday, the party said
20
the government seems to prefers to make publicity stunts while its real motive is not a candid
discussion with the opposition.
Le Quotidien d’Abidjan (p. 3) called the government’s move a mockery.
JULY 17, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. Ivorian PM Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio commits the government to promoting good governance
and fighting gender-based violence
2. President Ouattara meets with U.S. officials and AFBD president
3. Ivorian papers divided over the election of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as AU chairperson
4. The World Bank to finance the reconstruction of the country’s infrastructures
1. Ivorian PM Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio commits the government to promoting good
governance and fighting gender-based violence
Addressing the Ivorian Parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio recommitted
the government to promoting good governance and fighting against gender-based violence. A
prominent report in Fraternite Matin (p. 6) noted that the Ivorian premier said development will be
at the heart of the government’s strategic engagement over the coming years. “Cote d’Ivoire is to
become an emerging country by 2020,” the paper reported the Ivorian premier as saying, adding that
measures will be taken to fight against corruption and other practices, such as violence towards
women, that remain hurdles to development. In his wide-ranging address, Mr. Ahoussou-Kouadio
reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting national cohesion and to engaging the
opposition in political dialogue for a participative democracy, the paper said.
The Ivorian premier’s address triggered mixed comments in the press. Thus for pro-government
papers such as Le Patriote and Le Nouveau Reveil, the rather upbeat address bodes well for the
country which is recovering from a decade of political and social turmoil. A report in Le Patriote (p.
2) suggested that the address outlines the development perspectives of the country.
This optimistic view was not shared by the opposition press. An article in Notre Voie (p. 4) qualified
the Ivorian premier’s address as elusive and unrealistic. The paper went on criticizing the government
for not attending to real concerns.
2. President Ouattara meets with U.S. officials and AFBD president
21
On the margin of the African Union’s 19th summit held over the weekend in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
President Alassane Ouattara met President Barack Obama’s deputy national security adviser for
international economic affairs Michael Froman. The information was reported by Le Nouveau Reveil
(p. 12) which noted that discussions between the two men focused on ongoing reforms in Cote
d’Ivoire’s economy and development perspectives offered under the Millennium Challenge Corporation
for the Ivorian economy. Mr. Froman, the paper said, was accompanied on the occasion by U.S.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson. The Ivorian leader also had talks with
the president of the African Development Bank (AFDB), the paper further said, adding that the role of
the bank in the reconstruction of the country’s economy and arrangements to be made ahead of the
financial group’s return to its Abidjan headquarter were on the agenda of the meeting.
3. Ivorian papers divided over the election of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as AU chairperson
The election of South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as the African Union
(AU) Commission Chairperson is diversely commented on in the Ivorian press. Thus opposition papers
such as Le Temps (p. 4), Notre Voie (p. 5) and Le Nouveau Courrier (p. 3) hailed Mrs. Dlamini-
Zuma’s election as the new chief of the AU executive branch. For Notre Voie (p. 5) her election is a
setback for the Ivorian leader who had aggressively campaigned for her rival, former AU chairman
Jean Ping. The paper went on suggesting that President Ouattara is losing his international supporters
after his allies, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy and Senegal’s ex-leader Abdoulaye Wade
were both defeated by their challengers.
Pro-government papers were more neutral on this development. Nord-Sud Quotidien (p. 6) argued
that Mrs. Dlamini-Zuma’s election was made on a fair assessment of her merit as a veteran diplomat
and political figure.
4. The World Bank to finance the reconstruction of the country’s infrastructures
According to a report in Fraternite Matin (p. 15) the World Bank approved funding for the
rehabilitation of Cote d’Ivoire’s vital infrastructure. An agreement between the bank and the Ivorian
government was signed yesterday in Abidjan, the paper said, adding that under the deal, some CFA
Francs 100 billion (US $50 million) that will be made available to carry out rehabilitation projects in
Abidjan and upcountry.
JULY 16, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. President Ouattara travels to China after attending the AU summit in Addis Ababa
2. The Ivorian government unfreezes assets of former president Laurent Gbagbo’s military
supporters
22
3. Prime Minister Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio to address the Ivorian parliament today
1. President Ouattara travels to China after attending the AU summit in Addis Ababa
President Alassane Ouattara is to attend the China-Africa Forum on Thursday in Beijing. The
information was reported by Fraternite Matin (p. 17) which noted that the forum, which will bring
together leaders from eight African countries including South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, President of Benin
Boni Yayi, and President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo, aims at discussing
strategies to open up prospects for a new type of China-Africa partnership. According to the daily,
President Ouattara will, in the course of his four-day visit, explore business opportunities and ways to
boost Chinese investment in Cote d’Ivoire.
According to an article in Nord-Sud Quotidien (p. 12) the Ivorian leader’s visit to China comes as
Cote d’Ivoire soccer star Didier Drogba arrived in the country last Saturday to take up a reputed
$300,000-a-week contract with a Shanghai team.
With more on President Ouattara’s agenda, Fraternite Matin (p. 22) noted that the Ivorian leader
attended over the weekend the African Union summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Union’s 19th
summit was highlighted by discussions on ways to reinforce the prestige of the pan-African bloc, the
paper said. South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was elected Sunday to lead
the African Union, the paper added.
2. The Ivorian government unfreezes assets of former president Laurent Gbagbo’s military
supporters
According a report in the weekend edition of Fraternite Matin (p. 6) the Ivorian government has
decided to unfreeze the assets of some individuals tagged as close to ex-president Laurent Gbagbo
and whose assets have been frozen for their alleged support for the ex-leader during the 2010-2011
post-electoral conflict. The information, the paper said, was released by military prosecutor Ange Kessi
in the course of a press briefing last Friday in Abidjan. According to Mr. Kessi, the 48 people, all
members of the Ivorian military and gendarmerie, will also be paid half of their monthly salary
following the decision. “This measure is being taken by President Ouattara for humanitarian reasons,”
Mr. Kessi reportedly said, adding that the decision does not apply to those accused of crimes and
targeted by arrest warrants.
Notre Voie (p. 2) for its part called on the government to extend the measures to include partisans
of the ex-leader currently in jail.
Le Quotidien d’Abidjan (p. 3) noted that since his arrest by the Ivorian police in October, the
whereabouts of Anselme Seka Seka, the head of an elite unit under the Gbagbo regime, are unknown.
The paper suggested that the regime has eliminated him.
3. Prime Minister Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio to address the Ivorian parliament today
23
L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (p. 3) noted that Prime Minister Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio is to address the
Ivorian National Assembly today. According to the daily, the Ivorian premier is to outline the
government’s general policies and strategic plans.
As announced last week, Prime Minister Ahoussou-Kouadio met with the leadership of the FPI party.
The information was reported by Fraternite Matin (p. 5) in its weekend edition. According to the
daily, the Ivorian premier called on the FPI to join the government-based task force dubbed “the
permanent framework” designed to facilitate dialogue with the opposition. “The prime minister has
asked us to join the framework but we will have to discuss it first among ourselves,” the paper
reported Mr. Sebastien Dano Djedje, Gbagbo’s former Minister of Reconciliation as saying.
JULY 13, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. Prime Minister Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio to meet with Gbagbo’s FPI
2. Ivorian authorities kick-off small arms destruction as reintegration of former combatants lingers
3. Ivorian Minister of Higher Education Cisse Bacongo says foreign teachers will be hired to address
shortage
1. Prime Minister Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio to meet with Gbagbo’s FPI
According to a report in Notre Voie (p. 3) Prime Minister Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio is to meet today
with the leadership of the FPI. The meeting, the paper said, is meant to facilitate what was termed
“the republican dialogue” between the government and the Ivorian opposition. According to the daily,
FPI officials said they are committed to dialogue but have insisted on the release of partisans of ex-
president Laurent Gbagbo as a prerequisite.
Still on the meeting, L’Inter (p. 4) noted that on both sides, much is expected from today’s meeting.
The daily underscored that the move can be likened to a charm offensive designed by the government
to show its commitment to participative democracy and political dialogue. From the FPI’s perspective,
the daily argued, this will be a platform to voice again their concerns and reiterate calls for the release
of their leader and FPI partisans in detention.
Fraternite Matin (p. 5), for its part, cast doubt on the outcome of the meeting, which the paper said
followed a previous session held in April in Grand Bassam. According to the daily, there are reasonable
grounds to believe that the meeting will be inconclusive.
24
2. Ivorian authorities kick-off small arms destruction as reintegration of former combatants
lingers
According to a report in Fraternite Matin (p. 6) some 600 weapons were destroyed yesterday in
Abidjan in what officials said was the kick-off of the destruction of small arms collected since the end
of the post-election violence. The operation, the paper said was carried out by a government-
sponsored task force known as the COMNAT-ALPC. According to its president, Inspector General
Desire Adjoussou, about 2,000 weapons have been collected since last year. Supported by the UN
mission in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), the operation can be extended with more resources, according to
the Ivorian Interior Minister.
This information came as an article in Nord-Sud Quotidien (p. 4) noted that a census of former
combatants initially scheduled to start yesterday in Bouake was postponed. According to the paper,
authorities cited logistical issues as the reason for the delay. The operation is to resume shortly, the
paper added.
3. Ivorian Minister of Higher Education Cisse Bacongo says foreign teachers will be hired to
address shortages
In a recent interview, Ivorian Minister of Higher Education Bacongo Cisse said instructors living outside
the country may be hired to address shortages in the country’s public universities. According to Mr.
Cisse, with the opening of the country’s public universities this September, in addition to those
students registered at the two university campuses in Abidjan, a total of 21,000 students have been
registered at the Bouake campus and another 8,000 in Korhogo. To deal with the high demand for
teachers, in addition to hiring new recruits, DVCs and other distance learning capabilities offered by
information technology may be used as well, he added.
Still on universities, Nord-Sud Quotidien (p. 6) reported that Mr. Cisse said he is opposed to
suppressing the nation’s student unions, despite their history of violent partisan politics, racketeering
and other crimes. This decision seemed to be welcomed by the secretary general of the militant group
known as FESCI, which is also the country’s major student union. “Our union is going to change,” Mian
Augustin reportedly said.
25
JULY 12, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. The Ivorian government vows to enhance security in the country’s major detention facility
2. Fugitive youth leader says there is a gap between the government’s rhetoric of national
reconciliation and the facts
3. Ivorian educational actors meet to discuss review of university curricula
4. African Development bank to resume activities in Abidjan
1. The Ivorian government vows to enhance security in the country’s major detention
facilities
Security in the Abidjan’s MACA prison will be monitored by a special police unit. The information was
released by Fraternite Matin (p. 4) which noted that the decision came out of a cabinet meeting
held yesterday in Abidjan. According to government spokesperson Bruno Kone, the move aims at
addressing security failures in the country’s major prison which has recently had multiple incidents
that have resulted in the escape of inmates. The new security measures will be implemented with the
support of experts from the UN mission in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), Mr. Kone said.
Still on the issue, Le Patriote (p. 3) noted that as a disciplinary measure following last week’s prison
break, all administrative and security personnel previously assigned to the MACA prison have been
removed.
2. Fugitive youth leader says there is a gap between the government’s rhetoric of national
reconciliation and the fact
In a letter sent to the head of the Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CDVR), Charles
Konan Banny, fugitive youth leader Charles Ble Goude said the government is fueling tension instead
of being at the heart of the reconciliation process. Notre Voie (p. 4) published the letter in which
former president Laurent Gbagbo’s right-hand man alleged that the government’s rhetoric of
reconciliation is nothing but mere words. “While talking of reconciliation, the government continues to
imprison its political opponents… There are at least 34 new arrest warrants targeting only Gbagbo
partisans that have been recently issued,” Mr. Ble Goude wrote. “The regime is creating conditions for
a social and political uprising,” he further said. According to Ble Goude, the government should
champion reconciliation by acting consistently. He said he remains committed to playing his role in the
process.
26
With more on the reconciliation process, Soir Info (p. 5) published an interview in which Mr. Banny
voiced his concerns about the process underway. “Hardliners have again emerged on both sides… we
are very much concerned about the violent rhetoric likely to impair the process,” Mr. Banny reportedly
said, adding, however, that he remains upbeat on the outcome of the process.
3. Ivorian educational actors meet to discuss review of university curricula
According to an article in Le Nouveau Reveil (p. 7) officials from the country’s public universities
gathered Tuesday on the initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education to discuss updates on teaching
programs. “The workshop aims at getting the instructors familiar with the new curricula and course
content,” the paper reported Prof. Ly Ramata, president of the University of Cocody, as saying.
According to the daily, the session came ahead of the reopening of the country’s public universities
scheduled for September 3.
With more on the issue, Fraternite Matin (pp. 2-3) noted that like the university campuses in
Abidjan, the Bouake campus is being renovated. However, according to Pr. Lazare Poame, only 500
instructors are available for a total of 21,000 students. This situation is likely to impact the quality of
teaching, he said.
4. African Development Bank to resume activities in Abidjan
According to a report in Fraternite Matin (p. 5) the African Development Bank (AFDB)
is to return to its Abidjan headquarters by 2014. The information, the paper said, was released
yesterday by Mr. Bruno Kone after a meeting with President Alassane Ouattara. “An advance team will
be coming later this year and the other staff will follow,” Mr. Kone said, adding that rehabilitation work
has already started on the temporary quarters of the bank.
JULY 11, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah says only former president Laurent Gbagbo is of interest to
the court so far
2. President Alassane Ouattara calls on reporters to avoid partisan journalism
3. The Ivorian government equips the battalion stationed along the country’s border with Liberia
4. UN Mission in Cote d’Ivoire denies allegations of mass burials
27
1. ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah says only former president Laurent Gbagbo is of
interest to the court so far
In reaction to information suggesting that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest
warrants against some Ivorian political actors, including fugitive pro-Gbagbo youth leader Charles Ble
Goude, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah said only former president Laurent Gbagbo is so far of
interest to The Hague-based court. The information was reported by Soir Info (p. 3). The paper
noted that according to insiders, investigations into the violence that followed the 2010 presidential
elections and of individuals involved in the deadly crisis are ongoing. “The judges have issued an
arrest warrant against Mr. Laurent Gbagbo and, to my knowledge, no other warrants have been
issued,” Mr. Fadi reportedly said. “The ICC procedure in this case is transparent,” he further said,
adding that, if need be, additional warrants could be issued after Gbagbo’s August 13 hearing.
Still on the issue, Notre Voie (p. 2) noted that similar information was given by Mr. Pascal Turlin, an
official from the court, in the course of an interview yesterday with the French wire service RFI.
According to the daily, the court is adamant that, “no other warrants, except the one targeting former
president Laurent Gbagbo have been released so far.” This development, the paper said, is a setback
for Ivorian leader Alassane Ouattara and former prime minster Guillaume Soro who have recently
alleged that other partisans of the ex-leader were on the brink of being brought to the international
court.
2. President Alassane Ouattara calls on reporters to avoid partisan journalism
President Alassane Ouattara met yesterday with leaders of the country’s major journalists’ association,
known as the UNJCI. The information was reported by Fraternite Matin (p. 17) which noted that on
the occasion the Ivorian leader called on journalists to work responsibly and avoid partisan journalism.
“You must be more professional and less partisan,” the Ivorian leader reportedly said. “I am
committed to press freedom and I know that you can play an important role in the reconciliation
process,” he added. Addressing the issue of journalists in prison, President Ouattara said that they
have been arrested not because of their reports but for crimes committed during the crisis. He
commended the union for its initiative to help facilitate the return of journalists in exile, the paper
added. For his part, UNJCI president Moussa Traore pleaded for more support to help build a free and
responsible press in Cote d’Ivoire which, he said, is ranked 159th out of 179 countries according to a
recent report by Reporters Without Borders.
3. The Ivorian government equips the battalion stationed along the country’s border with
Liberia
In a bid to address security issues along the country’s border with Liberia where deadly clashes have
been recently reported, the Ivorian government has supplied the battalion stationed in the area with
new equipment. The information was reported by Fraternite Matin (p. 6). Made of army vehicles
and other logistical support materials, the equipment, according to the Ivorian Minister in charge of
Defense Paul Koffi Koffi, will allow the Ivorian troops to respond to attacks such as the one that
claimed the lives of seven peacekeepers last month. “Today our army has the minimum…They are
more mobile now and able to react more timely in the event of attack,” he reportedly said during the
handover ceremony Monday in Abidjan.
28
Still on the western region, the paper noted in a separate development (p. 7) that a site formerly
used as a makeshift refugee camp located in a Catholic church was recently dismantled. According to
UNHCR official Mbaye Diuof, the move has been made to allow the 700 internally-displaced persons
living at the site to return to their homes.
4. UN Mission in Cote d’Ivoire denies allegations of mass burials
The UN Mission in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) said it was shocked by a video allegedly showing UN soldiers
conducting mass burials. Opposition papers described the contents of the video as an attempt by the
UN mission to cover a mass murder that may have occurred during the 2011 crisis, an allegation that
UNOCI denied. According to UNOCI spokesperson Sylvie Van Den Wildenberg, the video which went
viral on the web, was a grotesque montage.
JULY 10, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. Fugitive youth leader Charles Ble Goude says he is not targeted by the ICC
2. Government officials visited Abidjan’s prison and say security measures will be reinforced
3. Public universities to reopen according to plan
1. Fugitive youth leader Charles Ble Goude says he is not targeted by the ICC
According to Charles Ble Goude, former president Laurent Gbagbo’s right-hand man and leader of the
militant group known as the Young Patriots, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has not issued an
arrest warrant against him. The information made news in most dailies today as it contradicts
information released over the weekend by former prime minister Guillaume Soro suggesting that Mr.
Charles Ble Goude was among individuals of interest for the ICC. “As for now, I am not the target of
any arrest warrant from the ICC,” Soir Info (p. 4) reported the man who has been fugitive since
Gbagbo’s arrest as saying. “I am not a criminal,” he added.
Still on the issue, L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (p. 4) noted that Mr. Ble Goude, widely known for his
hard-line rhetoric against president Ouattara and his western allies, said he fears for his life. “The
regime is attempting to kill me…many of my partisans have been kidnapped in Abidjan,” the paper
reported him as saying.
With more on the issue, L’Inter (p. 5) noted that the fugitive leader said he still has a role to play on
the country’s political scene. “Ivorians still have faith in me and I have a role to play in Cote d’Ivoire,”
he reportedly said.
29
This development came as an article in Nord Sud Quotidien (p. 2) said that Gbagbo’s former top
aides Kuyo Tea, Aboudramane Sangare and Genevieve Bro-Grebe were recently accused of genocide
by a national court.
2. Government officials visited Abidjan’s prison and say security measures will be
reinforced
Government officials, including the Ivorian Minister in charge of Defense, Paul Koffi Koffi and Mrs.
Matto Cisse, in charge of the Justice portfolio, visited Abidjan’s main prison yesterday where four
inmates are still on the run after they managed to escape last Sunday. The information was reported
by Fraternite Matin (pp. 11 & 13) which noted that a combination of human and technical failures
are to be blamed for last weekend’s escape. According to Mrs. Cisse the facility does not meet
technical requirements for a prison. “The building is surrounded by weeds and the fences that are
meant to prevent inmates from fleeing have been removed,” she reportedly said, adding that
investigations will be carried out to shed light on the causes of the incident. On his part, Mr. Koffi said
army officers will meet to outline security measures to be implemented in the facility. “We are here on
behalf of President Ouattara who will announce measures to ensure security issues of this sort are
addressed,” he reportedly said.
With more on the issue, Le Nouveau Reveil (p. 3) noted that many mysteries surround the
recurrent prison breaks, a situation which could be traced to the rather tense relationship between law
enforcement agents and guards stationed in the correctional facilities. Notre Voie (p. 7) noted that a
total of 227 inmates have escaped within one month.
3. Public universities to reopen according to plan
Scheduled to reopen in September, the rehabilitation of the country’s public universities is almost
complete according to an article in Le Nouveau Reveil (p.12). The daily noted that all the university
campuses have been fully refurbished, offering a more attractive environment for students. Equipped
with state-of-the art materials, the Abidjan campus will include a grocery store and a pharmacy, the
paper added.
JULY 9, 2012
Today’s Top Stories
1. President Alassane Ouattara says the International Criminal Court will provide a fair trial for
former president Laurent Gbagbo
2. Ivorian Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko inaugurates Interpol office in Abidjan
30
3. Nine inmates escape in a prison break in Abidjan
4. ECOWAS leaders gather again to discuss the Malian crisis
1. President Alassane Ouattara says the International Criminal Court will provide a fair trial
for former president Laurent Gbagbo
In an interview with the pan-African television channel Africa 24, President Alassane Ouattara said
yesterday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will allow former president Laurent Gbagbo to
receive a fair trial. The information was reported by L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (p. 12) which noted
that the Ivorian leader said the transfer of Mr. Gbagbo to the ICC will help foster reconciliation. “The
ICC is impartial…I can’t interfere in its procedure and under the circumstances it is the most suitable
court to judge him,” the paper reported President Ouattara as saying.
This development came as former prime minister and now speaker of the National Assembly
Guillaume Soro said in a recent interview made during a visit to France that the Ivorian ex-leader is to
be blamed for the post-electoral violence that claimed the lives of some 3,000 people. According to
L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (p. 6), which published the interview in which Mr. Soro depicted himself as a
democrat, violence could have been prevented if then-president Laurent Gbagbo had agreed to hand
over power peacefully.
However, Le Quotidien d’Abidjan (p. 2) argued that Soro’s charm offensive will not overshadow the
crimes and abuses that the rebel movement he headed has committed since 2002.
Notre Voie (pp. 2-4) published what it qualified as an ICC classified document in which both the
Ivorian leader Alassane Ouattara and Guillaume Soro are cited as war criminals.
2. Ivorian Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko inaugurates Interpol regional headquarters in
Abidjan
Closed in the wake of violence that followed the 2010 presidential elections, the Interpol office for the
West Africa region was officially reopened last week in Abidjan. The information was reported by
Fraternite Matin (p. 7) which noted that the inauguration ceremony brought together the Ivorian
Minister of Interior Hamed Bakayoko and Interpol’s chief Ronald Kenneth. In his address, Mr.
Bakayoko stressed the role Interpol plays in combating cross-border banditry and other crimes.
3. Nine inmates escape in a prison break in Abidjan
According to a report in Soir Info (p. 10) nine convicts managed yesterday to escape from the
Abidjan MACA prison where they had been detained. The incident, the paper said was the latest
episode of the kind after similar prison breaks were reported upcountry last month.
Le Quotidien d’Abidjan (p. 3), for its part, noted that these recurrent incidents uncover breaches
within the security systems in the country’s detention facilities. The paper went on suggesting a
conspiracy involving prisons guards. However, the daily added, these incidents are used as a pretense
by the government to harass partisans of the ex-leader detained in the same facilities.
31
4. ECOWAS leaders gather again to discuss the Malian crisis
West African leaders gathered over the weekend in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso to discuss the Malian
crisis. Providing details, Fraternite Matin (pp. 2-4) noted that the leaders, including ECOWAS
chairperson Alassane Ouattara, urged interim Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra to create a national
unity government by the end of the month and threatened to suspend Mali from the regional block.
According to the paper, the contact group said that the Mali transitional government urgently needs to
be strengthened in order to have a clear timeline to put an end to the crisis. Neither interim Prime
Minister Diarra nor interim President Dioncounda Traore participated in the talks, the paper added.
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Media affiliation and circulation
Fraternite Matin State-owned daily newspaper 23,000
L’Intelligent d’Abidjan Privately-owned daily, leans pro-
President Alassane Ouattara
7,000
L’Inter Independent daily 20,000
Nord-Sud Quotidien Daily close to Prime Minister
Guillaume Soro
10,000
Notre Voie Daily close to the FPI, the party
of Former President Laurent
Gbagbo
15,000
Le Nouveau Courrier Daily close to the FPI, the party
of Former President Laurent
Gbagbo
10,000
Le Nouveau Reveil Daily close to the PDCI-RDA, the
party of Former President Henri
Konan Bedie
17,000
Le Patriote Daily close to the RDR, the party
of President Alassane Ouattara
17,000
RTI TV State broadcaster
Soir Info Independent daily 22,000
AIP State News Agency
NOTE: Newspaper circulation figures represent the number of copies printed, not actual sales.