VZCZCXYZ0023
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAB #1255 3131705
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091705Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2149
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 001255 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL EFIN IV
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT $144M IN ARREARS ON WAR BONUSES, 
POSSIBLY AFFECTING MILITARY MORALE 
 
REF: ABIDJAN 1111 
 
¶1.  (SBU) While the payment of regular salaries is current 
for both civil servants and military personnel (which 
includes the FANCI, the Gendarmerie and the National Police) 
as of October 31, 2006, according to sources within the 
Ministry of Defense, the Government of Cote d'Ivoire is 12 
months or USD 144 million (CFA 72 billion) in arrears for the 
payment of "war bonuses" which have been accruing since 
September 2004. The scheduled payment should be USD 12 
million (CFA 6 billion) per month on war bonuses, but in 
reality the war bonus payment is always partial and usually 
15 days late. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  So-called "War Bonuses" are ostensibly paid 
semi-monthly to all military personnel, including the FANCI, 
the National Police and the Gendarmerie, as a reward for 
their service during a time of war.  Front line troops are 
paid $360 monthly, while non-front-line troops earn $180. 
However, budgetary pressures on the Treasury have resulted in 
the reduction of the bonus by 50% (hence the arrears).  "New 
Recruits," those recruited after August 2002 specifically to 
serve for the war effort, were paid only the war bonus, not a 
regular salary, and in practice were receiving very small 
amounts, if anything, given the arrears.  As of March 2007, 
the government plans to pay these new recruits a net salary 
of USD 200 per month rather than the war bonus. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Housing - The National Police, FANCI and the 
Gendarmerie are allotted a rent allowance by the government 
as part of their salary package.  The government is committed 
to paying rent allowances on a quarterly basis, but due to 
administrative processing delays landlords do not normally 
receive the money for at least two months after the close of 
the quarter and the delays are causing a steady accumulation 
of arrears - for the police, rent arrears for July, August 
and September 2006 amounted to USD 3 million (CFA 1.5 
billion).  Lieutenant Colonel Richard Yapi, Assistant 
Director of Finance at the Ministry of Defense, claims that 
the government does not owe any rent arrears to the military 
or the Gendarmerie, but he does acknowledge that there are 
some administrative delays. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment: The growing accumulation of arrears in war 
bonuses and housing payments is fueling frustration among the 
military rank and file as evinced by the recent takeover of 
Plateau bridges by new Gendarmerie graduates (reftel).  It is 
a problem that President Gbagbo and his supporters will have 
to keep an eye on as they can ill afford an erosion of their 
support among the security forces.  End comment. 
Hooks