GOVERNMENT LOOSENS CONTROL OF STATE MEDIA

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000104 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION STATE FOR AF/W-EPLUMB AND INR/AA-BGRAVES, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER RKANEDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PROP KDEM IV SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT LOOSENS CONTROL OF STATE MEDIA ¶1. (SBU) Summary. President Gbagbo nominated new Boards of Directors for the state newspaper and radio and television network on January 23. The respective Boards on January 28 elected Viviane Zunon Kipre as Chairperson for the organization that publishes the newspaper and Honore Koffi Guie as Chairperson for the radio/television network. Gbagbo's decision to create new Boards could be perceived as a response to calls in June 2007 and January 2008 by the Ouagadougou Political Agreement (OPA) Permanent Consultation Framework for greater opening of the state media to all political actors. End Summary. ¶2. (U) President Laurent Gbagbo signed a decree on January 23, 2008 nominating new Boards of Directors for the organization (Societe Nouvelle de Presse et d'Edition de Cote d'Ivoire - SNEPCI) that publishes the government's daily newspaper "Fraternite Matin" and the national radio and television network (Radio Diffusion Television Ivoirienne - RTI). The Board of Directors of SNEPCI elected Viviane Zunon Kipre as Chairperson on January 28 and RTI's Board elected Honore Koffi Guie as its Chairperson the same day. The chairperson positions had been vacant since November 2006 when President Gbagbo dismissed the Board of Directors and appointed two acting Directors who were allied to his Ivoirian Popular Front (Front Populaire Ivoirien - FPI) political party. ¶3. (U) Zunon Kipre is a former Director General of the Ivoirian Social Security fund (Caisse Nationale de Prevoyance Sociale - CNPS). Guie is a law professor and Chairman of a civil society NGO, Study and Research Group on Democracy and Economic and Social Development (Groupe d'Etudes et de Recherche sure la Democratie et le Developpement Economique et Social - GERDDES-CI). From 2000 to 2001, he served as Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (Commission Nationale Electorale - CNE),precursor to the Independent Electoral Commission (Commission Electorale Independante - CEI). Both Zunon Kipre and Guie are generally perceived to be objective and independent in carrying out their jobs. ¶4. (U) The opposition political parties have been critical of Gbagbo's unilateral management change, accusing him of taking control of the media to limit their access to it. The Final Communique of the first meeting of the OP Permanent Consultation Framework, held on June 12, 2007 in Yamoussoukro, called for a greater opening of the state media. The Final Communique of the most recent meeting of the OPA Permanent Consultation Framework, held on January 24, 2008 in Ouagadougou, called for equal access by all political parties to state media. ¶5. (SBU) Comment. Gbagbo's decision to allow a new Board of Directors to appoint the Chairpersons can be viewed as being responsive to these calls by the Permanent Consultation Framework. Gbagbo's decision to allow the FPI to le go of the reins of the state media is a step, albeit a small one, towards the possibility of transparent and fair elections. End Comment. NESBITT