Côte d'Ivoire
New Ivorian unity govt ready

afrol News, 26 February - Ivorian Prime Minister Seydou Diarra today will present his new cabinet, after reaching an agreement with President Laurent Gbagbo. Only 7 of 30 ministries go to the MPCI rebel group and the ministries of Interior and Defence - demanded by the rebels - will go to technocrats.

The creation of a national unity government in Côte d'Ivoire is a key issue in the peace treaty signed between the government and rebels in the French village of Marcoussis. The delays in naming such a government have raised concerns the Marcoussis peace was failing all together.

While there was agreement the new government will be headed by Seydou Diarra, who is from the rebel-held Muslim north, there are however grave differences between President Gbagbo's followers and rebel leaders on what was said in Marcoussis about the composition of Mr Diarra's government.

Rebel leaders immediately after the peace deal stated the agreement foresaw the creation of a "government of national reconciliation" of nine ministries, in which four of them would be held by the rebel group 'Patriotic Movement of Côte d'Ivoire' (MPCI), whereas Mr Gbagbo's party, 'Popular Front of Côte d'Ivoire', was to hold two ministries. The MPCI rebel group, which controls the Muslim North of the country, was to take over the ministries of Interior and Defence.

As President Gbagbo returned to Côte d'Ivoire, he was however met with violent demonstrations against the Marcoussis peace. Also the Ivorian armed forces made clear they would never accept a Defence Ministry led by an MPCI rebel. Mr Gbagbo subsequently denied the Marcoussis peace had made mention of the new government's composition.

According to unconfirmed reports from Côte d'Ivoire, the agreement between President Gbagbo and PM Diarra is nothing close to the government composition foreseen by the rebels in January. The President had demanded 11 ministries for his party, 8 for a former ruling party (PDCI) dominated by southerners, 7 for the main northerners' party (RDR) and 7 for the MPCI rebels. Four ministries, including Defence and Interior, were to be given to "neutral" technocrats. 

It remains unclear whether President Gbagbo's proposed composition of the new government will be the one presented by PM Diarra later today or tomorrow. The new Prime Minister may have achieved to include more rebel or RDR representatives into the cabinet to avoid dominance by southerners. 

Both the RDR and the rebels have already stated their discomfort with President Gbagbo's proposals. RDR, which claims President Gbagbo stole their probable election victory in a disputed poll two years ago, wanted more heavyweight ministries. Rebel spokesman Sidiki Konate indicated the MPCI would refuse to approve a government as proposed by Mr Gbagbo.

Mr Konate maintains President Gbagbo had promised the rebels would be given the Defence and Interior Ministries, and claims this was witnessed by French President Jacques Chirac. Only last week, the rebels threatened to march on Abidjan if the Marcoussis was not being implemented.