Côte d'Ivoire
Attempts to save Ivorian peace

afrol News, 10 February - After renewed fighting yesterday, there are today attempts to save the fragile and disputed Paris peace. A West African summit in Abidjan today supported the new Prime Minister Seydou Diarra, who now is starting the work of forming a unity government for Côte d'Ivoire.

Eight West African Heads of State today are meeting in Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire, to support the fragile peace treaty. The summit principally gave its strong support to Prime Minister Diarra, who was escorted to the gathering by the Ghanaian President in person. The eight leaders emphasised the Mr Diarra now must be let doing his job, according to the Paris peace.

The neighbour countries thereby gave indirect support to the rebel leaders, which had refused to participate in a meeting in government-controlled Abidjan as long as the peace treaty was not being implemented. Also their main demand has been giving Mr Diarra free hands to form the unity government that was called for in the deal.

The newly appointed Prime Minister himself today told reporters in Abidjan he was going to start this work "immediately". Mr Diarra is from the Muslim-dominated north of the country and ahs earlier held the same post during the military dictatorship in 2000. Citizens of Christian-dominated Abidjan have strongly protested the appointment of Mr Diarra.

The French-negotiated peace for Côte d'Ivoire for a long time seemed to only make the situation worse in the polarised country, where especially the followers of President Laurent Gbagbo's party are rioting against sharing power with the northern rebels.

The President on Friday held his long awaited speech to announce his position on the peace treaty he had signed in Paris, after not having addressed the public for two weeks. Mr Gbagbo concluded this path to peace now should be given a chance, "and if it doesn't work, we will try another recipe."

He however seemed to have provoked his own followers and the rebels during his speech. While he also urged it now was time for the Prime Minister to form a new government, he did not hide his intentions to assure he had the last word in all the appointments. Further, it was by no means sure which and how many ministries would go to the rebels, he said, something rebel leaders saw as a breach of the agreement.

The President's hesitant support to the literal meaning of the Paris agreement has been understood as the main reason behind the renewed fighting on Sunday in Toulepleu, a small town in the eastern part of the country. These are the first armed confrontations between government troops and rebels since the Ivorian peace deal was signed on 26 January.

The French government, which has deployed some 3000 troops in Côte d'Ivoire, states its grave concerns over the situation. French troops are reported to be "ready for a total evacuation of foreigner" on short notice, according to Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie.

 

Sources: Based on press reports and  afrol archives