Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ABIDJAN77
2010-02-24 14:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abidjan
Cable title:  

New Government Announced; Opposition Slots Still Vacant

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM EAID ASEC IV 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
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INFO RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000077 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/24
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID ASEC IV
SUBJECT: New Government Announced; Opposition Slots Still Vacant

CLASSIFIED BY: Mary Townswick, Pol/Econ Chief; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000077

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/24
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID ASEC IV
SUBJECT: New Government Announced; Opposition Slots Still Vacant

CLASSIFIED BY: Mary Townswick, Pol/Econ Chief; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)


1. (SBU) Summary: On February 23, the new, slightly streamlined
Ivoirian government was announced; 11 ministerial slots reserved
for the various opposition parties remain vacant, as the opposition
has refused to participate until the Independent Electoral
Commission (CEI) is reconstituted. Sixteen ministries remain with
the ruling FPI and the Forces Nouvelles, whose incumbents still
control important posts such as Defense, Interior, and Justice.
The country is fairly calm as the opposition awaits the
reinstatement of the CEI (expected February 25) with new
leadership. End Summary.




2. (U) On February 23, the Presidency issued a decree naming the
new government. The number of ministries has been reduced from 33
to 27; 11 were allocated to the opposition parties (Foreign Affairs
and African Integration; Agriculture; Commerce; Transport;
Infrastructure; New Technologies and Information Communication;
Higher Education; Health and Public Hygiene; Environment, Urban
Sanitation, and Water and Forestry; Family and Social Affairs; and
Culture and Francophonie). As the opposition has remained
steadfast in refusing to participate in the government until the
Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) is reinstated, no names were
announced for these positions.




3. (U) PM Soro subsequently held a press conference at which he
confirmed that CEI president Robert Mambe and all four of his
vice-presidents are to be replaced. New leaders are to be named by
February 25. The general expectation is that the opposition will
name its ministers once the new CEI is in place. Soro also
indicated that the target timeframe for elections is now late
April-early May.



FPI and FN Ministries




4. (U) There were no changes to the following ministries: AIDS,
Dr. Christine Adjobi (FPI); Economy and Finance, Charles Diby
(civil society); Defense, Michel Amani N'Guessan (FPI); Interior,
Desire Tagro (FPI); Planning, Paul Bohoun Bouabre (FPI); Justice
and Human Rights, Kone Mamadou (FN); Animal Production and
Husbandry, Alphonse Douati (FPI); Tourism and Handicrafts, Sidiki

Konate (FN); Education, Gilbert Bleu Laine (presidential majority);
and Communications, Ibrahim Sy Savane (FN).




5. (U) There are three new ministers: Emile Guirieoulou (FPI,
deputy from Guiglo),Civil Service and Employment; Tiemoko Meyliet
Kone (FN, Soro's former cabinet director),Construction, Urban
Planning and Housing; and Benjamin Atse Yapo (FPI),Technical
Education and Vocational Training. There were also some
ministerial swaps, with Augustin Kouadio Komoe (FPI) moving from
Culture and Francophonie to Mines and Energy, and Theodore Mel Eg
(presidential majority) transferring from the(now defunct)Urban
Sanitation to Youth and Sports.



Slight Streamlining




6. (U) The number of ministries was reduced from 33 to 27, with the
Ministries of National Reconciliation (FPI); National Solidarity
and War Victims (FN); and Reconstruction and Reinsertion (the tiny,
opposition MFA party's sole ministry) being abolished. The
Ministry of African Integration was folded into the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Urban Sanitation was placed
under the Ministry of Environment and Water and Forestry.



Comment




7. (C) Despite Gbagbo's stated desire to form a new government of
technocrats with fewer ties to the political parties, his wish
appears to be confined to opposition ministries, as those under FPI
and FN control remain practically unchanged. The biggest surprise
was the sacking of two heavyweight FPI loyalists: Emmanuel Monnet,
former Minister of Mines and Energy, who was blamed for the
electricity crisis and the debacle surrounding the closing of the

state owned oil refinery; and Hubert Oulaye, former Minister of
Employment and Civil Service, who had been touched by a scandal
involving kickbacks for admission into a prestigious professional
school.




8. (C) Comment (Cont'd) The announcement of the new government
had been delayed several times, and by issuing a decree before
negotiations with the opposition had been finalized, the
Presidential camp appears to have been trying to maintain forward
momentum. However, as the opposition has repeatedly made clear,
they are more concerned with the composition of the CEI and a clear
election timetable than with the makeup of what, under ideal
circumstances, would be a short-lived, caretaker government. The
PM's citing of late April-early May as the target date will be
encouraging to the opposition but should be seen as nothing more
than an effort to project a positive approach to the issue, given
that the CEI -- which retains responsibility for setting the date
-- is not yet back at work.
NESBITT