VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAB #0104 0421754
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD5AA712 MSI5294-695)
R 111754Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4002
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0871
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

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