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R 211328Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5401

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000550 
 
 
FOR ECA/PE/V/G/A EBUTLER AND CASSANDRA DYSON; ECA/PE/V/M 
AMOYLAN; FOR AF/PD (LYNN, TOLLEFSON, EHRNMAN), AF/RSA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KPAO OEXC SCUL IV
SUBJECT: Ambassador Addresses Association of International 
Visitors at Cote d'Ivoire Anti-Corruption Conference, 
September 12, 2009 
 
¶1. Description of activity: On September 12, 2009, U.S. 
Ambassador to the Cote d'Ivoire Wanda L. Nesbitt offered 
remarks at a conference on development and corruption 
organized by the Association of International Visitors of Cote 
d'Ivoire (Association Ivoirienne des Visiteurs Internationaux 
aux USA or AIVI-USA). The conference, which was held in 
Bouake, the "capital" of the former rebel group, the New 
Forces, marked the third stop in an anti-corruption campaign 
caravan the association initiated last spring. The Bouake' 
conference focused on "transparent public procurement 
policies." Earlier conferences were held in Daloa and 
Yamoussoukro, on "justice and corruption" and "education and 
corruption" on May 22nd and 27th, 2009, respectively. Bouake's 
mayor and representatives from the Prime Minister's office and 
the prefet were present on the dais and offered welcoming 
remarks. 
 
¶2. Date of activity: September 12, 2009 
 
¶3. Program justification / Objectives: AIVI is an IVLP Alumni 
Association dedicated to sharing their U.S. experience with 
the Ivoirian population. In conveying the anti-corruption 
message in the ex-rebel stronghold of Bouake, the AIVI hopes 
to reduce the development gap between the North (ex-rebel 
zone) and South (governmental zone) by promoting transparency 
and good governance values. 
 
¶4. MSP themes: Democracy, Transparency and Good Governance, 
Economic Growth 
 
¶5. Activities / Impact / Result: the Bouake step welcomed two 
special guest speakers: Mrs. Dje Bi Dje, lecturer on Public 
Markets at the Faculty of Law at the University of Cocody, 
Abidjan, and Ambassador Wanda Nesbitt. The speakers' 
presentations discussed various aspects of corruption and the 
obstacles it places on the path to development and prosperity. 
Mrs. Dje Bi Dje remarks focused on the Government's need to 
institute a public procurement policy that would be fair and 
transparent and lead to a competitive, merit-based process. In 
her opinion, the Government has not always followed such a 
policy.   While agreeing with the substance of Mrs. Dje Bi Dje 
remarks, the Ambassador additionally identified corruption as 
a threat to a social welfare. 
 
The audience was made up of women's associations, student 
organizations, youth, non-governmental organization members, 
journalists and local administrative authorities. The event 
sparked a lively discussion during the question-and-answer. 
While acknowledging the need for widespread action in fighting 
corruption, a woman in the audience suggestion that action 
should start at the grassroots level, by educating children at 
an early age that corruption is both morally wrong and 
detrimental to society. Ambassador Nesbitt stressed the 
important role society must play in rewarding those who are 
honest over those who are not. 
 
The AIVI Executive bureau reported that since the Caravan 
began they have received calls and messages from people 
congratulating them on their work and at times, requesting 
them to visit their region. As a result, AIVI has decided to 
take the anti- corruption message to the remaining fifty three 
regions in CQte d'Ivoire in the coming months. PAS plans to 
encourage AIVI to apply for an ECA Alumni grant to support 
their important work. 
 
¶6. Quality of USG support: Excellent. The PAS Information 
Resource Center (IRC) provided printed materials to the 
audience. More than three hundred handouts, including IIP 
ejournals, pamphlets and books were distributed. The recently 
arrived Deputy Public Affairs officer attended the Bouake 
conference to underscore PAS? interest and support for the 
activities of the alumni association. 
 
¶7. Media: The conference was widely covered by the media. 
Fraternite Matin reported that the Association of the 
International Visitors of Cote d'Ivoire (AIVI-USA) - had 
called on Ivorians to fight corruption. "The only way to fight 
corruption is to denounce it," the paper quoted Ambassador 
Nesbitt as saying. "Nesbitt is waging a war against 
corruption," said a another report in Nord-Sud Quotidien. 
Other papers ran similar stories. 
 
NESBITT