November 20, 2008

News reports in today’s press in Cote d’Ivoire said that President Blaise Compare – facilitator in the Ivorian peace process – has proposed a new date for the Ivorian presidential elections. The conflict between the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) and voter registration agents over payments; the disarmament of former rebels; media reactions after President Laurent Gbagbo vowed to fight economic saboteurs and a warning from a senior law professor against discrimination in the issuance of the Ivorian new passport also made headlines in today’s newspapers. The dailies also reported that the Ivorian First Lady had lodged a defamation complaint against a witness for implicating her in the disappearance of the French-Canadian journalist, Guy-Andre Kieffer. Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) today reported on the Ambassador Wanda L. Nesbitt’s visit Tuesday to the Port of Abidjan.

1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): In a prominent story, the paper quoted Blaise Compare – facilitator in the Ivorian peace process saying that “it’s possible to hold the Ivorian presidential elections before April 2009.” President Compaore was speaking yesterday in Paris after a meeting with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy. “I think that the electoral process is going well…,” President reportedly said, adding: “The fundamental issue in this crisis is the question of identification (of voters). Reliable and effective mechanisms have been put in place to facilitate this identification. For technical reasons the process is taking more time than originally planned, but I think we have to be confident that the elections will be transparent and fair.” 

2. Still on the electoral process, Fraternite Matin reported that voter registration program is again disrupted, because registration agents have been on strike for the past two days demanding the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) to review a working contract they claimed they signed “under pressure.” Reacting to this protest, the Chairman of CEI Robert Beugre Mambe said “it’s unacceptable that registration agents, who have accepted to sign a contract, are now disrupting the process.”  

3. In other developments, Fraternite Matin reported that 400 former fighters of the New Forces received the items for their reintegration on Wednesday. L’inter (an independent daily) quoted Kone Zackaria, a former New Forces’ military commander, who accused the New Forces leader-turned Prime Minister Guillaume Soro for “betraying their struggle.” According to the paper, the former warlord is now living in exile in Burkina Faso, vowed: “Sooner or later, I’ll come back.”

4. A day after President Laurent Gbagbo vowed to crack down on “economic saboteurs,” Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) carried a banner headline questioning the president’s sincerity to fight corruption in Cote d’Ivoire. The paper alleged that under President Gbagbo’s regime “former lecturers have become billionaires.” It further suggested that for the president to demonstrate his “good will” to fight corruption, he must arrest what the paper called “a conglomerate of predators, formerly simple professors, who have now amassed wealth and are moving around in the most expensive vehicles.”

5. Still on the issue of corruption and President Gbagbo’s decision to fight corruption, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) said that after the arrest of top officials in the cocoa and coffee industry for embezzlement, it is possible that officials working in sectors including petrol, mining and gas be charged for mismanagement. The paper also suggested that President Gbagbo’s decision came following pressure from international donors including the World Bank and IMF.

6. Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition): The paper published the opinion of Ouraga Obou, an Ivorian senior law professor, who warned Cote d’Ivoire authorities to guard against any discrimination in the issuance of the new Ivorian passport. According to the paper, the law professor was reacting to allegations that some Ivorians applying for the biometric passport were subject to discrimination. 

7. Regarding the case of the French-Canadian journalist, Guy-Andre Kieffer, a story in Fraternite Matin said that Cote d’Ivoire’s First Lady Simone Gbagbo is demanding the repatriation of Berte Seydou, an Ivorian national living in France, who reportedly made “untrue declarations to a French judge implicating Madam Gbagbo in the disappearance of the journalist.” According to the paper, this was announced yesterday Abidjan during a press conference by the lawyer of the Ivorian First Lady. The lawyer was also reported as saying that he will lodge a defamation complaint against AFP – Agence France Presse – for reporting inaccurate information. [NOTE: Guy-Andre Kieffer, 59, disappeared in Cote d’Ivoire in 2004 while researching a story on corruption in the West African state's cocoa industry. He has never been found, but it is reported that French investigators believe he was abducted and murdered on the orders of powerful business interests.] 

MEDIA REACTION TO U.S. AND OTHER WORLD ISSUES

Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) today reported on U.S. Ambassador Wanda L. Nesbitt’s visit Tuesday to the Abidjan Port. The paper quoted Ambassador Nesbitt as saying: “We are trying to understand the daily life of Ivorians and we thought it was necessary to visit the port which is an important engine for Ivorian economy and to see how it is functioning.”  

November 19, 2008

Reports in today’s Ivorian newspapers said that the Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo vowed to wage a war against economic saboteurs. The voter registration exercise in the run-up to the coming presidential elections and the power struggle between the Ivorian State Prosecutor and disgruntled lawyers were also subjects of front-page stories. The trial of 104 Ivorian soldiers accused of violence and looting during pay protests in September; a survey on gender-based violence during armed conflict in Cote d’Ivoire; a campaign against the worst forms of child labor were the other major news items. Many dailies also reported on the U.S. Ambassador, Wanda L. Nesbitt’s visit Tuesday to the Port of Abidjan.

1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): A prominent story on the front page of this paper said that Cote d’Ivoire’s President Laurent Gbagbo has declared war against “economic saboteurs”. According to the paper, the president said, “Those who steal public moneys will be brought to justice.”  He added that this would help “fight poverty.” President Gbagbo made this declaration to delegates on Tuesday at the 1^st West African mining and power resources Summit in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire’s economic capital. The president further said “We Africans, especially Black Africans, are sitting down doing nothing to transform our wealth to become engine of our development.” He concluded by saying “It’s not worth shouting that Africa is rich, its soil is very rich (mines and energy), while we’re still poor. It’s not worth sitting on mining resources like bauxite, gold, petrol and uranium, while we’re still hungry… How do we want to be invited to the G20 Summit, while we’ve become eternal beggars of loans?”

2. Reporting on the Mining and Power Resources Summit, Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling Ivorian Popular Front party) said that President Gbagbo proposed the creation of “a security basket-fund” as a way for the African continent to address its development challenges. Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling Ivorian Popular Front party) said the Ivorian Minister of Mining and Energy called for the creation of a regional power market; a project that will be built on the West Africa’s huge mining and energy capacity.

3. On political issues, a banner headline in Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition) announced that the voter registration exercise will end within eleven days in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire’s economic capital. The paper further indicated that based on the recommendations of the recent meeting between the Ivorian political stakeholders in Ouagadougou, the voter registration exercise should end on November 30. In a related development, a front-page story in Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) said the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) is threatening to replace voter registration agents who have embarked in an indefinite strike over pays.  

4. Regarding the standoff between the Ivorian State Prosecutor and disgruntled lawyers, a prominent story in             
Le Nouveau Reveil said that the Prosecutor Tuesday closed down the Court House in Abidjan. According to the paper, yesterday the court premises were cordoned off by gendarmes, while the lawyers continued their strike. It further said that the Justice Minister has started mediation in an attempt to defuse the tension. 

5. Regarding the case of the 104 Ivorian soldiers accused of violence and looting during pay protests in September, Fraternite Matin, reported that the trial has been adjourned for the second time. According to the paper, the procedures, which began yesterday at the Martial Court in Abidjan, were quickly adjourned to Thursday to allow defense counsel, only appointed on Monday due to the strike of the lawyers, more time to prepare. [The case involves 100 soldiers and four junior officers who mounted violent protests in September in Daoukro and Yamoussoukro, central Cote d’Ivoire, to demand payment of so-called war bonuses.
A number of civilians were wounded by stray bullets during the two-day riots. The soldiers are charged with breaching the peace, going against orders, armed robbery, illegal confinement of people, destruction of public property and committing violent acts against superiors. If convicted each soldier could face up to 20 years in prison.]

6. On gender-based violence in Cote d’Ivoire, Notre Voie quoted a study conducted by an Ivorian NGO saying that the socio-political crisis that Cote d’Ivoire faced had contributed to the serious human rights violation and to the violence against women that were rampant before the crisis. The report said that the study was conducted in Western city of Duekoue in 2002 through 2007. In another development, the paper reported that representatives of the local government including Mayors and General Counselors recently received training on child protection. The training, the report said, was part of a project by the Interior Ministry aimed at stamping out the phenomenon of the worst forms of child labor in Cote d’Ivoire.

MEDIA REACTION TO U.S. AND OTHER WORLD ISSUES

The visit of the US Ambassador Wanda L. Nesbitt Tuesday to the Abidjan Port received intensive coverage in pro and opposition dailies in Cote d’Ivoire. Fraternite Matin; Le Temps; Soir Info; L’inter; and L’intelligent d’Abidjan carried positive reports on the visit. According to Fraternite Matin, the visit offered the US diplomat the opportunity to gauge the importance of the port in the Ivorian economy. The paper quoted the port’s officials saying “the visit of the Ambassador of the world most powerful country is an honor.” “We demand Madam Ambassador and her country to help Cote d’Ivoire resolve this crisis that is holding back our activities,” Soir Info quoted the Managing Director of the port, Marcel Gossio as saying. “The US Ambassador salutes the tremendous achievement of the port,” said a headline in Le Temps. “Through this visit, Madam Nesbitt wanted to demonstrate America’s support to the port that is an engine of development,” wrote L’intelligent d’Abidjan.

November 18, 2008

The power struggle between the Ivorian State Prosecutor and disgruntled lawyers continued to make news in today’s newspapers. The Ivorian electoral process; the indictment of senior military officers on Monday for inciting revolt following protests last September by soldiers demanding combat bonuses; and the media campaign against the proliferation of light weapons and small arms in Cote d’Ivoire were the other major news in today’s Ivorian dailies.

1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): A front-page story in this paper said that the impasse between the Ivorian State Prosecutor, Fehou Raymond Tchimou, and disgruntled lawyers has taken a dramatic turn, as court clerks and bailiffs have joined the strike. While the lawyers have been striking for the past few days to demand the resignation of the prosecutor, the court clerks are threatening to bring businesses to a standstill at the Court House in Abidjan to press for the application of a decree improving their working conditions, the report said. The bailiffs, the report continued, are protesting what they call “the indictment” of a lawyer in the discharge of their duty.

2. In another development, Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) prominently reported that three Ivorian senior military officers were charged on Monday with “inciting revolt” following protests last September by soldiers demanding combat bonuses. “They also face charges of complicity in weapons theft over the disappearance of guns,” the paper said. According to the paper, the indictment of the three military officers, who have been held in custody for more than a month, was announced by a source close to a military court in Abidjan. The paper also said that the military officers were not officially identified, but Lieutenant Colonel Lancine Fofana, Colonel Moustapha Cherif and Commander Doulaye Sekongo were mentioned in some media reports.

3. On issues regarding the Ivorian electoral process, Fraternite Matin reported that on November 17, the Ivorian Prime Minister officially launched the voter registration exercise in Bouake – the stronghold of the New Forces (the former rebel movement). The report said that 58 out of 174 registration centers will start operating in Bouake and its surroundings. In a related development, the paper quoted Mrs Fatoumata Diop, one of the vice-presidents of the Independent Electoral Commission, as saying that “registration centers will soon close down in Abidjan.” According to the paper, the electoral commissioner made the announcement Saturday during a conference on the contribution of the electoral body to enable handicapped persons to get registered.

4. Still on the electoral process, Fraternite Matin announced the creation of the Coordination of Cote d’Ivoire’s Women for Elections and Post-conflict Reconstruction (COFEMCI-REPC). According to the paper, founders of this organization said that the objective is to help create an atmosphere conducive to peace. The organization also seeks, among other things, to encourage Ivorian women to fully take part in the economic, social and cultural development of the country and in the ongoing electoral process.

5. In a front-page report, L’inter (an independent daily) suggested the possibility of a radio-TV debate between the three main presidential candidates: President Laurent Gbagbo, former President Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Dramane Ouattara. According to the paper, an Ivorian NGO that promotes code of ethics and legality in politics is working on this project. The paper also said that that President Gbagbo, who is widely seen as “a mogul” in TV debate, welcomes the idea saying it will help “reinforce democracy and allow the public to gauge the candidates and their programs.”

6. A report in Fraternite Matin said that about 30 journalists were recently trained to enable them to lead a campaign against the proliferation of light weapons and small arms in Cote d’Ivoire. The training was conducted by RASALAO-CI – a West-African organization fighting light weapons and small arms. At the end of the training, participants called on Cote d’Ivoire’s National Assembly to pass a bill on the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)’s Convention on light weapons and small arms.

November 17, 2008

The Ivorian newspapers today announced that the voter registration exercise will begin November 18 in Bouake, the stronghold of the New Forces – the former rebel movement. Pro-government and opposition dailies devoted large columns on the pre-electoral campaigns organized over the weekend by President Laurent Gbagbo and leaders of principal opposition parties. An international conference on mining and energy resources due to open today in Yamoussoukro; measures being put in place by the government to speed up revenues collection in the former New Forces-controlled zones; the state of the media in Cote d’Ivoire; and a road accident killing about 67 people were the major news items.

1. Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition) prominently announced that the voter registration exercise is scheduled to begin on November 18, 2008 in Bouake. The paper also published a press statement issued by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) saying that in respect of recommendations made during the 11^th November meeting of the CPC – the body overseeing the implementation of the Ouagadougou Agreement – the electoral body is reviewing the time-table for the identification and voter registration operations in accordance with the current situation.

2.  Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily) reported that the current political situation in Cote d’Ivoire was the major issue during a rally addressed by President Laurent Gbagbo over the weekend in the department of Yamoussoukro. President Gbagbo reportedly said that “after the war, Ivorians must fight against the culture of lying that has become a cancer in the Ivorian society.”

3. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party): The paper quoted the Ivorian former President Henri Konan as saying that his party, “PDCI-RDA is the only party that can resolve the political impasse facing Cote d’Ivoire.” Speaking over the weekend during a religious ceremony, reported the paper, Mr. Bedie criticized the ruling FPI party saying that “the party made some promises that turned to be a hoax.” “Those who thought that ruling a country was easy have done anything to promote the country’s agricultural sector,” Bedie was quoted as telling the gathering during the ceremony.

4. Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party): With a picture of Alassane Dramane Ouattara in its front-page, the paper quoted the leader of the RDR as saying that his party will win the coming general elections in Cote d’Ivoire. According to the paper, Mr. Ouattara was speaking during a rally held November 15 in Abidjan. The paper said that like Martin Luther King and his comrades in their struggle for Black emancipation, the Ivorian opposition figure’s slogan during the gathering was “Yes, we’ll win.” The paper went on to note that “just like the United States of America, Cote d’Ivoire, for the past eight years, has been calling for a change.” In a banner headline on its front-page, L’intelligent d’Abidjan (an independent daily) quoted the leader of the RDR party telling his supporters that “I’ll win like Obama.”  

5. On media-related issues, Fraternite Matin informed reporters that Ivorian journalists and other members of the media sector have created a new association. The union is named – Union des Professionnels des Medias de Cote d’Ivoire (UPMCI) According to the paper. The founders of this union said the aim was to live up to the development challenges facing the media in Cote d’Ivoire. In a related-development, L’inter (an independent daily) said that a committee of journalists is calling for the release of their colleague, Asse Alafe, who was convicted a couple of weeks ago by a tribunal in Abidjan. Mr. Alafe, who is Director and Publisher of the L’intelligent d’Abidjan (an independent daily), was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after the court found him guilty of forgery of Ivorian Identity documents. According to the prosecution, though both of Mr. Alafe’s parents are nationals of Nigeria, the journalist claimed he was an Ivorian. [Mr. Alafe is the vice-president of Union Nationale des Journalistes de Cote d’Ivoire (Cote d’Ivoire national journalist Association).]

6. A report in Fraternite Matin said that a West-African conference on mining and power resources began today in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire’s political capital. According to the paper, discussions during the 4-day meeting will focus on how to use mining and energy as engines to foster peace, growth and development in the sub-region. The summit will bring together 39 African countries, said the paper. Delegates from Europe, Russia, North America, Brasilia, China, Japan, India, Korea, Middle East and Australia are also expected to attend this summit.  

7. Another report in Fraternite Matin said that the New Forces and the Ministry of Economy are working on a final document on measures to be taken by the government in order to collect revenues in the former New Forces-controlled zones.
8. L’inter:  A prominent story in this paper said that 67 people were killed in a road accident on November 16 in neighboring Burkina Faso. According to the paper, three Ivorians were among the victims; sources close to the investigation said that the bus, which had 75 seats was overloaded, carrying 92 passengers.

November 14, 2008

The postponement of Cote d’Ivoire’s presidential election, which was initially billed for 30 November 2008, continued to dominate the Ivorian press. President Laurent Gbagbo’s analysis of the election of Senator Barack Obama, the first Black American, to be President of the United States sparked mixed reactions in today’s newspapers.  The standoff between the State prosecutor and striking lawyers was also a major item in the dailies.

1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily) reported that   the delay of the post-war presidential election originally planned for November 30 was the major topic during a meeting Thursday in Abidjan between President Gbagbo and the Ambassadors of the United States and France. The paper quoted US Ambassador Wanda L. Nesbitt as saying “The more the polls are delayed, the more Cote d’Ivoire cannot progress in terms of development.” Ambassador Nesbitt, who was speaking to the press after her meeting with the Ivorian leader, reportedly called for the voter registration to be carried out in “good faith” in order for the elections to be conducted “as soon as possible.” According to the paper, Ambassador Nesbitt further noted that Ivorian key political players must work tirelessly to hold the elections. The French Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, Andre Janier, who also met President Gbagbo yesterday, was quoted as saying “The delay of the elections could slow down the political momentum,” adding this could lead to other “complications.”

2. The meeting between President Gbagbo and the foreign diplomats was also a subject of major stories in Nord-Sud Quotidien (an opposition newspaper) and the privately-owned daily L’intelligent d’Abidjan. According to Nord-Sud Quotidien the United States and France are concerned about the continuous delay of the presidential elections. Regarding the funding of the peace process in Cote d’Ivoire, Ambassador Nesbitt called on all players to spare no effort so as to push the peace process forward. 

3. A prominent report in Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that the turnout at the voter registration centers has dropped in Abidjan following the recent meeting on November 10 in Ouagadougou of CPC – the committee overseeing the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. According to the paper, this was announced by a leading member parliament, who is also a member of the ruling FPI. The report had it that the turnout of voters, which was about 90 petitioners a day, has now dropped to 60. In a related development, a report in Soir Info (an independent daily) said that the New Forces – the former Ivorian rebellion – has launched a campaign to sensitize the populations in the former New Forces-controlled territories to get enrolled.

4. In a front-page story, Notre Voie applauded President Gbagbo’s analysis on the election of Senator Barack Obama. The paper published the full text of the Ivorian President’s commentary and told readers that the president has put aside his mantles as a Head of State and a politician to critically comment on the recent US presidential elections as “an intellectual and a man of culture.” The paper suggested that President Gbagbo in his analysis was trying to send a message that the world has changed. The paper further said that Gbagbo’s message was directed to those who continue to believe that “an individual from a minority ethnic group could not pretend to play a leading role.” Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI) also carried a commentary saying that the Ambassadors of the United States and France to Cote d’Ivoire “congratulated” President Gbagbo on his analysis. 

5. Reacting President Gbagbo’s analysis and the lessons to be learned from the US Presidential elections, Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) questioned the democratic credentials of the Ivorian leader. The paper commended President Gbagbo for acknowledging that “the American electoral system is set like a clock.” However, the paper quickly pointed out that a smooth electoral system was possible in the United States because its leaders, including President George Bush, wanted it to be so, while in Cote d’Ivoire “the Head of State refuses to go the polls and continues to maneuver delays in going to the polls.”

6. On the strike by lawyers, a front-page story in Fraternite Matin showed the picture of an apparently angry State prosecutor, Tchimou Raymond Fehou, threatening “to punish” the disgruntled lawyers who are demanding his resignation.  The lawyers are striking to protest what they call “the violation of the right and dignity of a sitting lawyer by the Prosecutor.” According to the paper, the State prosecutor who was addressing a press conference November 13 in Abidjan allegedly accused the President of the Cote d’Ivoire Bar Association of “manipulating the media and other lawyers.” According to the paper, the Prosecutor told reporters how the President of Cote d’Ivoire Bar Association tried “to twist the truth” in a case between a lawyer and a company. The report further said that the striking lawyers have maintained their movement saying “the strike will continue until the Prosecutor resigns.” The paper also said that President Gbagbo has called upon both parties to exercise restraint and instructed the Justice Minister to meet both sides in order to find a solution to their disagreement.      

November 13, 2008

Ivorian daily newspapers continued speculating on the impacts of the postponed presidential elections in Cote d’Ivoire. The demand of the resignation of the State prosecutor by striking lawyers was also a subject of front-page stories. Relationship between Cote d’Ivoire and France; regional efforts to curb the proliferation of light weapons and campaign against the avian flu were the other major news stories in today’s press. On US and other world issues, Fraternite Matin published a two-page analysis on the election of Senator Barack Obama by the Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, who talked about the lessons to be learned from this election. The paper also reported on the US support of $44.4 million for an anti-avian flu campaign.
 
1. Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition): A prominent story in this paper suggested that the decision by the CPC – a committee overseeing the Ouagadougou Political Agreement – to postpone the presidential election initially billed for 30 November 2008 in Cote d’Ivoire has prompted skepticism amongst the political parties. The paper quoted Mr. Francis Wodie leader of PIT – Ivorian Workers Party – as saying that “the delay of the polls should not exceed four months. Otherwise they [the government] would have demonstrated their incapacity to resolve the crisis.”

2. In a related development, Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party) predicted that financial problems would hold back the electoral process. According to the paper, the plan to organize the presidential elections hangs in the balance, because in addition to financial resources that the government would need to finance the electoral process, the Minister of Finance would have to keep the government’s promises to workers regarding the increase of their salaries as from the year 2009.

3. The delay of the presidential elections was also the major media topic, particularly on President Laurent Gbagbo’s address at a recent political rally.  According Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily), President Gbagbo called on Ivorians to exercise patience and to give time to the Independent Electoral Commission to complete the voter registration exercise. “It’s better to fully complete the task so as not to go through another war,” the paper quoted the Ivorian leader as saying.

4. Regarding the voters’ registration in the run-up to the presidential elections, a story in Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that about one million potential voters have been enrolled since the beginning of this exercise. This announcement, the paper said, was made yesterday by the Prime Minister’s cabinet. The paper quoted a public statement issued by the government as saying: “This result was obtained following measures that have been taken aimed at boosting the electoral process in response to problems that occurred at the beginning of the voter registration in Abidjan.”

5. L’inter (an independent daily): A prominent story in this paper said that the standoff opposing the State prosecutor and striking lawyers, who are calling for his resignation, is yet to be over. The report said the lawyers organized a sit-in strike at the Abidjan Court House on Wednesday. The purpose of this strike is to protest what the lawyers call “the violation of the right and dignity of a sitting lawyer by the Prosecutor.” A front-page story in Soir Info (an independent daily) said that proceedings at the court have been brought to a standstill as a result of the strike.

6. Another report in Fraternite Matin said that Ivorian lawmakers yesterday passed a bill interdicting light weapons. The bill the report said would allow the President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire to ratify a Convention signed by West African States on light weapons in July 2005 in Cotonou, Benin.  

7.   On other issues, Fraternite Matin reported on the bilateral relationship between Cote d’Ivoire and France. According to the paper, the French Development Agency (AFD), which has reopened its offices in Abidjan, is to finance projects in the Ivorian private sectors.       

November 12, 2008

Ivorian daily newspapers today carried reactions over the announced delay of the long-awaited presidential elections in Cote d’Ivoire and analyzed the future of the peace process underway in this country. The dailies also reported on the demands for the resignation of the State prosecutor; the crack down on GPP (an Abidjan-based militia groups) by security forces; the regional efforts to stamp out cyber-criminality; and the opening of a Cote d’Ivoire-Israel chamber of commerce.

1. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party): The daily published the full text of the final communique issued in Ouagadougou Monday at the end of the meeting between Ivorian key political players and President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, who is the facilitator in the Ivorian peace process. The statement said that “it is impossible to organize the presidential elections on the date of November 30," due to “difficulties over voter identification and security.” The statement also added that Ivorian political leaders had instructed the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) to submit a new timetable for the vote, before December 31.

2. In another story, Le Nouveau Reveil examined the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, asking “if this deal can still save Cote d’Ivoire from the current stalemate.” According to the paper, “Many supporters of this agreement are now disillusioned because the deal that was widely presented as the only way to finding a quick solution to the crisis in Cote d’Ivoire is yet to produce the expected results.” The paper even questioned what it called “the silence” on the part of the main Ivorian opposition figures like the former Ivorian President Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Dramane Ouattara, leader of the RDR party. 

3. Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI party): Commenting on the delays of the presidential elections in Cote d’Ivoire, the paper suggested that despite pressures from the United Nations, Cote d’Ivoire would go to polls at its own pace. The paper was apparently referring to a recent position of the Security Council which warned that “another delay in the holding of elections in Cote d'Ivoire could have serious repercussions for the West African nation's entire peace process.” 

4. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): In a two-page analysis where it depicted the volatile situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the paper claimed that the resumption of the civil war in this region after UN-sponsored presidential elections has prompted many observers to fear “the repetition of this scenario in Cote d’Ivoire if the former combatants are still holding guns.” The paper went on to quote the Speaker of the Ivorian National Assembly, Mamadou Koulibaly saying: “To pre-empt the drama that is unfolding in DRC from happening in Cote d’Ivoire, there is a need to proceed with the disarmament.” The disarmament of the former fighters in Cote d’Ivoire, the paper quoted Mr. Koulibaly as saying, must be “complete, final and clean.” Mr. Koulibaly, who is also one of the Vice-presidents of the ruling FPI party, reportedly proposed that “security during the elections should be exclusively entrusted to legal forces, not to rebels.” 

5. Still on security issues, Soir Info (an independent daily) carried a front-page story saying that security forces Tuesday cracked down on a militia group called Groupement pour la Paix (GPP) that has been operating in Abidjan since the beginning of the war in Cote d’Ivoire. According to the paper, about 300 members of this self-defense group “believed be responsible for insecurity in Abidjan” have been arrested. The paper quoted one of the militiamen as saying, “For the past eight years we’ve been defending them. We’ve taken the risk to maintain them in power. Today, they’ve abandoned us…”       

6. On another issue, a prominent story in Fraternite Matin said that tension is mounting at the Court House in Abidjan, as the State Prosecutor and lawyers are engaged in what the paper called “a standoff.” According to the paper, 500 lawyers have called for an indefinite strike to demand the resignation of State Prosecutor, Tchimou Raymond Fehou.  The purpose of the strike is to protest what the lawyers call “the violation of the right and dignity of a sitting lawyer by the Prosecutor.” The paper further quoted the President of Bar Association, Mr. Claude Mentenon, saying that the State Prosecutor allegedly tried “to forcibly arrest” a leading member of the Bar Association.”

7. Another report in Fraternite Matin said that experts from African countries are due to meet next week in Yamoussoukro (Cote d’Ivoire’s political capital) in a bid to hammer out strategies aimed at fighting cyber criminality on the continent. On economic issues, the paper announced the opening of a Cote d’Ivoire-Israel chamber of commerce. The paper quoted promoters of this institution as saying that it will help buttress relationships between the two countries.

November 10, 2008

Today’s CPC (The Oversight Committee of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement) meeting, the declaration of the Security Council regarding the political situation in Cote d’Ivoire and the declaration of the Ivorian Independent Electoral Commission about the infringement of the code of good behavior by Ivorian  political parties are the major issues in today’s local dailies.

In a front page banner in Fraternité Matin (a state owned daily), a report reviewed the meeting of the CPC (the oversight committee of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement) scheduled for November 10.  According to the paper this meeting will help assess the implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement and find new measures in order to strengthen the crisis resolution process. The paper quoted Prime Minister Soro Guillaume as saying “Our mission is to find a consensus in order to organize fair, transparent and trustworthy elections in Cote d’Ivoire.”

Le Matin d’Abidjan (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) declared in a front page banner that the CPC will take decisions about postponement of the elections, disarmament, integration of the New Forces (FN) military into the new national army and obstacles to the electoral registration process.

Le Patriote (a daily close the opposition RDR party) claimed that electoral registration will be the major concern of the CPCmeeting. According to the paper the CPC will review hindrances to electoral registration and call on all signatories of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement to support registration.  . Reacting to the same subject Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that the CPC meeting will not fix a new date for the presidential election because its postponement is not due to a political difficulty but to a technical problem.

According to Nord Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) the CPC meeting will be crucial to maintain the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement. In a related analysis the paper explained that any failure of this meeting could tarnish the credibility of the peace agreement given that the timeline initially fixed has failed to be achieved and the UN Security Council and Ivorians are impatient to see the end of the crisis.

L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (an independent daily) reported that the UN Security Council has proposed that the presidential elections be organized for May 2009.

Nord Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) reported that the UN Security Council intends to reinforce the mandate of UNOCI and the French LICORNE forces in order to provide security for the registration process and the presidential election.

Soir Info (an independent daily) reported that the UN Security Council is putting pressure on Ivorian authorities and political leaders to achieve a quick and effective implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement as far as the electoral registration process, disarmament, and the presidential election are concerned.

Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI RDA party) reported that the UN Security Council has dictated a new timeline for the achievement of all the remaining steps in the crisis resolution process.

Fraternité Matin (a state owned daily), Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition RDR party), Soir Info (an independent daily), and Nord Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) all published a declaration of the Secretary General of the Ivorian Independent Electoral Commission Mr. Yacouba Bamba. In the declaration Mr. Bamba claims the code of good behavior intended to guarantee peaceful implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement is now being violated by Ivorian political parties through their incendiary speeches. The Electoral Commission through this declaration calls upon Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaoré (the Facilitator of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement) to make Ivorian political leaders respect their commitment.

The United States of America

L’Intelligent d’Abdjan (an independent daily) reported on separate telephone exchanges between President-elect Barack Obama and President Medvedev (President of Russia) and President Hu Jintao (President of China). According to the paper the telephone calls were intended to find common strategies to face the current financial crisis and to reinforce diplomatic relationships with those countries.

Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that President-elect Obama and President Bush are working together for a peaceful transition. The paper quoted the current Chief of Staff of the White House Joshua Bolten as saying “Our mission is to prepare the new leadership team to face the present challenges facing the USA.”

Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) published the text of a congratulatory letter from Mr. Allassane Ouattara (the Leader of RDR) to President-elect Obama.

November 7, 2008

The meeting of CPC –a committee overseeing the Ouagadougou Political Agreement-scheduled to be held on November 10th, 2008; the meeting between Mr. Francis Wodié (the leader of opposition PIT party) and Mr. Allassane Ouattara aiming at assessing the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement; and the declaration of Mrs. Bro Grebé (the leader of the women’s wing of the Patriots) about fraud in the registration centers are the majors issues in today’s press. Media outlets in Cote d’Ivoire continued to devote many columns to the US presidential elections.

Fraternité Matin (a state owned daily) reported on the audience President Gbagbo granted yesterday to UN Special Representative Choi in a bid to prepare the meeting of the CPC (the oversight committee of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement) scheduled for November 10 in Ouagadougou. The paper quoted Mr.Choi as saying "We have notice meaningful and strategic progress in the crisis resolution process in Cote d’Ivoire." According to the paper, Mr. Choi said that the joint effort of Ivorian political leaders and the International Community will help to meet the challenges of the registration process and the elections.

Soir Info (an independent daily) reported that Mr. Boureima Baldini (the representative of the facilitator of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement) stated that the upcoming CPC meeting will address implementation of the electoral registration process and the financing of the upcoming presidential elections, but not the question of fixing a new date.

Notre Voie ( a daily close to the ruling FPI party) a report in this paper said that one of the main concerns of the forthcoming CPC meeting is the issue of the disarming of the military wing of the New forces as required, according to the newspaper, by some human rights organizations. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI party) reporting on an audience Mr. Konan Bedié granted to Special UN Representative Choi quoted him as stating that Cote d’Ivoire has reached a critical point in the implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement. He added that the contribution of all Ivorian leaders is compulsory for the success of the crisis resolution process. Nord Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition RDR party), differing from other reports, claimed that the next meeting of the oversight committee of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement will fix a new timetable and date for the presidential elections, as requested by the Security Council.

Fraternité Matin (a state owned daily) reported on the meeting between Mr. Allassane Ouattara (the leader of the opposition RDR party) and Mr. Francis Wodié (the leader of the opposition PIT party) . According to the paper the objective of this meeting was to elaborate strategies to deal with the postponement of presidential elections past November 30. Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) quoted Mr. Wodié as saying "the political situation in Cote d’Ivoire is so worrying that it is compulsory to find strategies in a bid to fully involve Ivorians in the implementation of the crisis resolution process."

Nord Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) reported that the audience Mr. Ouattara granted to Mr. Wodié aimed at assessing the implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement and setting common strategies in view of the decision to postpone the presidential elections.

Fraternité Matin ( a state owned daily) reported that Mrs. Bro Grebé (the leader of the women’s wing of the Patriots) raised the issue of fraud in some of the registration centers in order to convince Prime Minister Soro Guillaume of the need to address the issue.

Soir Info (an independent daily) said that the women’s wing of the Patriots made some recommendations to Prime Minister Soro Guillaume in order to avoidfraud during the electoral registration process. These included reinforcement of the oversight committees, the creation of a communications plan and a campaign of sensitization.

United Sates of America

Fraternité Matin (a state owned daily) wondered about the African policy of President-elect Obama. In a related analysis the paper said that President-elect Obama will probably follow the same policy as his predecessors President Bush and President Clinton in establishing a partnership for development of Africa.

The daily also released an interview with former CI Ambassador to the UN Jean Vincent Zinsou saying that the election of Obama answers international criticism of the U.S.

Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition RDR party) and L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (an independent daily) said that President Obama is holding consultations in order to pick a new leadership team for his presidency. Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) reported on the urgent issues president Obama will have to face. The financial crisis, the military situation in Iraq and the issue of unemployment are, according to the paper, the major issues on which the President-elect must take some decisions very soon. Soir Info (an independent daily) stated that the main challenge President Obama will have to take up is his personal security given deaths threats launched against him by some Neo-Nazis.

L’Inter (an independent daily) said that the election of President Obama will help develop the African Continent.

L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (an independent daily) said that the Jimmy Carter Center has been invited by Prime Minister Soro to be an observer of the forthcoming Ivorian elections.

US Embassy Activities

L’Intelligent d’Abidjan (an independent daily) reported on a conference held on November 7th, 2008 in the U.S. Embassy Information Resource Center. The story noted that the program gathered political and civil society leaders, human rights activists, university professors, students and religious leaders to discuss the policies and views of President-elect Barack Obama.

November 6, 2008

News reports in today’s Ivorian press said that members of CPC – a committee overseeing the Ouagadougou Political Agreement – are set to meet November 10 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The coming presidential elections in Cote d’Ivoire; campaign against light weapons; relationship between Saudi Arabia and Cote d’Ivoire and moves to reinforce health facilities were the other major issues in today’s press. In the wake of the presidential elections in United States, media outlets in Cote d’Ivoire continued to devote large columns on the event.

1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): In a front-page story, the paper announced that the fourth meeting of CPC -- a committee overseeing the Ouagadougou Political Agreement – is scheduled for November 10 in Ouagadougou. According to the paper, the announcement was made Wednesday in Abidjan by President Blaise Compaore’s Special Representative in Cote d’Ivoire after a meeting with President Laurent Gbagbo. [Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore is the facilitator in the Ivorian peace process.] The Ouagadougou meeting, the paper said, will bring together Ivorian officials and political key players. The paper named them as: President Gbagbo, Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, former Ivorian President Henri Konan Bedie and opposition figure Alassane Dramane Ouattara. The discussions, it further said, will focus on issues relating to the grades and the number of former rebels eligible to join Cote d’Ivoire future army. A review of the voter registration exercise’ the plan aimed to ensuring security during the electoral process and the question on funding of the electoral process, will be the other major topics on the agenda, the paper said.

2. In a front-page story, Le Temps (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) quoted President Blaise Compaore’s Special Representative in Cote d’Ivoire as saying: "No date will be set for the presidential elections until the voter registration exercise has been completed."

3. Still on the Ivorian electoral process, Fraternite Matin published an interview of Seka Seka Joseph, a leading member of PIT -- Ivorian Workers Party. The paper highlighted portion of the interview where the party’s official claimed that "Nothing has been done so far to ensure that the elections take place in good conditions." According to the paper, the PIT’s official was speaking ahead of the party’s national convention slated for November 8, 2008 in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire’s political capital.

4. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party): The paper published an interview that the Ivorian opposition leader, Alassane Dramane Ouattara, granted to Jeune Afrique – A French international weekly newspaper. According to the paper, Mr. Ouattara hailed the Ivorian Prime Minister saying: "Soro is doing a difficult job but in an admirable manner." On the relationship between him and the former Ivorian president, Mr. Ouattara reportedly said: "President Bedie is my best partner." On the current social and economic situation in Cote d’Ivoire, the Ivorian opposition figure said: "The economic situation is bad, Ivorians are tired, poverty is gaining ground, diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS are causing havoc, towns have become dirty and rural communities especially those in the north are subject to poverty."

5. Soir Info (an independent daily): A report in this paper said that UNICEF and European Union have provided about $3 million to the Ministry of Health to reinforce health facilities in Cote d’Ivoire. The funds will be used for the rehabilitation of health centers and the purchase of equipments. Fraternite Matin also reported that the Saudi Fund for Development has granted about $10 million to Cote d’Ivoire to enable this country to implement projects including the rehabilitation of roads.

6. Another story in Fraternite Matin said that the Ivorian Interior Minister Desire Tagro exhorted members of a regional organization fighting the proliferation of light weapons in the West African sub-region to sensitize former Ivorian rebel leaders. This awareness campaign, the minister was reported as saying, will help "reinforce security in Cote d’Ivoire." The minister, who was speaking during a recent meeting with members of the organization, encouraged them to denounce any situation that could favor proliferation of light weapons in this country. According to the paper, the Ivorian Security Minister used the opportunity "to condemn a U.N arms embargo on Cote d’Ivoire," adding: "It prevents the country from equipping the gendarmes and police forces to fight efficiently criminality."

MEDIA REACTION TO U.S. AND OTHER WORLD ISSUES

All the Ivorian newspapers, irrespective of their political leaning today devoted large columns to comment on the outcome of Tuesday’s presidential in the United States. The dailies also reported on the election night organized by the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan describing it as "a rich and emotional soiree." Dailies like Fraternite Matin; RTI (state-run Broadcasting Corporation); AIP (state-owned news agency); Le Patriote (close to the opposition RDR party); L’intelligent d’Abidjan (an independent daily); L’inter (an independent daily); Soir Info (an independent daily); Le Jour Plus (close to the opposition), Le Nouveau Reveil; Nord Sud Quotidien (close to the opposition) and Notre Voie (close to the ruling FPI party), just to mention a few, saluted the election of a Black American as the new President of the United States. Some of the media outlets claimed that "the election of Senator Barack Obama was a lesson of democracy to Cote d’Ivoire." Le Patriote said President Obama’s election has proven wrong President Gbagbo’s recent statement that "to become a President demands a long experience." According to Notre Voie, the Ivorian leader sent a message to congratulate the newly-elected President.

November 5, 2008

Most headlines in today's Ivorian papers focused on the historic US election for president. As the final election results were unknown by press time, the papers presented analysis of their projected outcome – the election of now President-elect, Barack Obama. The dailies also reported on the peace process.

1. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party): In a prominent story, the paper showed a joyful picture of the US newly-elected President with a banner headline reading "Will Obama make it to the White House?" The story, which was apparently published before Barack Obama was declared President, predicted that the Senator of Illinois was in good shape to be the 44th President of the United States.

2. Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition), which also went to press before the final election results showed a picture of Barack Obama and his wife, Michele with a headline reading: "Obama… Historic." Basing its analysis on early results from Virginia and Florida, the paper also predicted the victory of President Obama, the first Black-American who vied for presidency in U.S.

3. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): Also, in the absence of the final results, the paper reported that Tuesday’s elections in the U.S. that saw the victory of the first Black-American came amid what it called "national renaissance." In a commentary, the paper said that about 130 million American electors went to polls Tuesday to vote for "immeasurable political change." The paper went on to say Tuesday’s polls marked "a U-turn in the annals of the history of the United States," because whatever the results, the elections have helped project to the American political arena "a Black candidate." The paper further said that yesterday’s election results were something to celebrate because "these elections have broken the taboo." Sighting support from Al Gore, Colin Powel, Bruce Springsteen and Scott McClellan for Obama’s candidature for presidency, the commentator said that "Obama has risen above political and racial splits."

4. As Cote d’Ivoire is engaged in a peace process that is expected to culminate to a presidential election, L’intelligent d’Abidjan (a daily close to the opposition) suggested that "The American presidential elections should serve a lesson for Ivorians." The paper also quoted former Ivorian President Henri Konan Bedie's reaction to Tuesday’s elections in which he said "I believe that the United States offers an example to follow, as for a fully democratic campaign void of hitch and delay. I think that Cote d’Ivoire will in the coming years achieve transparent elections."

5. Turning to election related issues in Cote d'Ivoire Fraternite Matin reported that Mr. Bedie has urged the registration of all persons displaced during the crisis in Cote d’Ivoire.

6. Further on the upcoming elections in Cote d'Ivoire, a front-page story in Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) said that three human rights groups in Cote d’Ivoire are calling for disarmament as a pre-condition for the coming elections.

MEDIA REACTION TO U.S. AND OTHER WORLD ISSUES

An Election Night organized yesterday by the U.S. Embassy in partnership with the American Corner in Abidjan to highlight Tuesday’s U.S. presidential elections received positive and intensive reports in the local media. RTI (state-owned Broadcasting Corporation) carried live segments of the program. The television network also carried footage of Ambassador Wanda Nesbitt, who explained the American electoral system. Earlier during the day, ONUCI FM (a UN radio station in Cote d’Ivoire) also reported on the U.S. elections.

November 4, 2008

1. Nord-Sud Quotidien (a daily close to the opposition): A prominent story in this paper quoted the U.S. Ambassador in Cote d’Ivoire, Wanda L. Nesbitt's response to a question on the historic meaning of the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama, an African American. According to the paper, the Ambassador said: "The candidature of a Black American [in today’s presidential elections] is already a victory." Ambassador Nesbitt was speaking Monday during a roundtable discussion with Ivorian journalists to explain the American electoral system. The paper further said that Ambassador Nesbitt described today’s final battle for the presidency of the United States between Senators Obama and John McCain as "a historic" event in the U.S annals. Ambassador Nesbitt reportedly said that today’s elections have triggered "passion" especially among the young electorate.

2. "The Ivorian youth must emulate the courage of Obama," said another story in Nord-Sud Quotidien. The paper was quoting Honorable Pale Dimate, MP and President of "Parliamentarians Network for Obama", who was speaking yesterday during a conference in Abidjan. Honorable Dimate, the paper reported, was speaking on the topic "Comparative analysis of French and North-American electoral system." The speaker reportedly said: "The candidature of Obama has become a world affair because there are lobby groups all over the place working for the victory of the Illinois Senator." Nord-Sud Quotidien also published a contribution from a leading member of the former ruling PDCI-RDA party. The writer said the current passion in the sub-Saharan Africa for "the possible election" of Obama as the President of the United States is just "an emotional" attitude. The writer went on to ask whether Africans should support Obama for "the color of his skin or for what he [Obama] could do for Africa." Explaining the candidature of Obama, the contributor said: "Obama is not a superman. It’s just because America has changed while the whole world is still dragging its feet on racial, regional, ethnic and cultural differences."

3. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): The paper quoted the U.S Ambassador in Cote d’Ivoire as saying: "Opinion polls are not scientifically accurate but rather give a snapshot of the trend." The paper was reporting on Ambassador Nesbitt’s meeting with the local media on the American elections. It quoted the American diplomat who predicted that "today’s elections would record a higher turn out… and it is probable that current demographic changes have some impacts on the polls." The paper also announced that the U.S Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire is organizing an Election Night event today in Abidjan. According to the paper, an NGO called "Lumière 21" is also organizing an election night "in support of Obama." Another prominent story in Fraternite Matin said: "The whole Africa stops breathing" as Americans are set for "historic presidential elections." Phil Nomel, the paper’s special correspondent in Washington DC quoted an American political analyst saying: "I’ve now understood that he [Obama] possesses the necessary assets to lead this country."

4. L’inter (an independent daily): The paper devoted four pages reporting and forecasting the outcome of today’s elections in U.S. In a front-page story the paper questioned Obama’s chances to win these elections. According to L’inter’s political reporter, Felix Diby Bony, in Chicago, definitely "the truth shall come from the ballots tonight." [NOTE: Bony is currently in the US in a US Elections tour for international journalists – sponsored by the Department of State. The tour, which began on October 28, ends on November 6, 2008.] While opinion polls confirm Obama’s lead over his challenger, reported the paper, the Republican candidate, John McCain, is running against the clock to overturn this trend. The paper also reported on Ambassador Nesbitt’s meeting Monday with Ivorian journalists and quoted the U.S diplomat who rejected "any possibility of frauds." Another story in this paper said that Ivorians are preparing for "a wake-keeping for Obama." L’inter also published other news items culled from the international media outlets explaining the American electoral system and some of the successes of the outgoing President, George Bush.

5. Le Jour Plus (a daily close to the opposition): Reporting on the funding of campaigning in during these American presidential elections, the paper quoted Ambassador Nesbitt as saying: "It’s not the richest person who wins elections in the U.S." Other dailies including Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA), Le Patriote (a daily close to the opposition RDR party), AIP (state-owned news agency) and Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party) reported on Ambassador Nesbitt’s meeting yesterday with the media. Notre Voie quoted the U.S. diplomat as saying: "Americans are ready to accept the outcome of the polls." The Ivorian national television network (TV1 & TV2) also carried footages of Ambassador Nesbitt explaining the American electoral system to Ivorian journalists a day before the elections in the U.S.