VZCZCXRO1606
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #0158/01 0421610
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111609Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0152
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABIDJAN 000158 
 
SIPDIS 
DEPT FOR AF/W AND DS/IP/AF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV ECON ELTN KCOR IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: HIGHER TOLLS AND LONGER DELAYS CHARACTERIZE 
TRAVEL IN REBEL-CONTROLLED NORTH 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Preliminary data collected by the West African Trade 
Hub on the Ouagadougou-Abidjan transportation corridor portray a 
divided country.  The Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) demand approximately 
2/3 more money than the Government of Cote d'Ivoire (GOCI) for 
permits and bribes on sections of the route they control. 
Additionally, delays in the north can be significantly longer than 
those transporters face in the south. Data provided by commercial 
drivers and collected by the Trade Hub in coming months should 
provide post with a valuable metric to track reunification after 
seven years of northern autonomy. End Summary. 
 
 
 
The Ouagadougou-Abidjan Corridor 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2. Embassy representatives recently met with Accra-based USAID 
contractors Patrick Kpenou and Amadou Ba, who reported their 
completion of an initial survey of the Ouagadougou-Abidjan corridor 
for the Improved Road Transport Initiative being conducted under 
the auspices of the West Africa Trade Hub.  The survey consisted of 
Mr. Kpenou actually accompanying a legal truck on the route and 
recording all the bribes, fees and checkpoints along the way. An 
LES from the RSO office accompanied him during parts of the survey. 
 
 
 
 
¶3.  Laleraba/Lolobo/Abidjan:  After crossing the frontier from 
Burkina Faso at Laleraba, the vehicles and drivers were processed 
through Forces Nouvelles immigration and customs.  Drivers 
purchased a FAFN Ticket de Convoyage for the equivalent in local 
currency of USD 289, which was supposed to allow the driver to pass 
through checkpoints along the approximately 500 kilometers of 
FAFN-controlled route as well as the 236 kilometers of 
GOCI-controlled route without paying bribes.  Leaving Laleraba, the 
truck was stopped at 19 checkpoints, where the driver paid the 
equivalent of USD 78 in bribes before reaching the government 
controlled village of Lolobo.  During the 236-kilometer trip in the 
GOCI-controlled area from Lolobo to Abidjan, the driver was stopped 
at 10 additional checkpoints and paid the equivalent of USD 44 in 
bribes.  The rebel-controlled segment of the journey cost USD 367 
and passed through 19 checkpoints that resulted in delays of more 
than two hours; in contrast, the government-controlled portion of 
the route cost about USD 44 and passed through 10 checkpoints, 
resulting in 54 minutes of delays. 
 
 
 
¶4.  Abidjan/Lolobo/Laleraba:  Before leaving the port of Abidjan, 
the drivers again purchased a Ticket de Convoyage, this time from 
Ivoirian Customs for the equivalent of USD 222.  Despite the 
guarantee of free passage on the GOCI-controlled segments of the 
trip, the truckers were stopped at 12 checkpoints, paid the 
equivalent of USD 27 in bribes, and were delayed for about two and 
a half hours.  In Forces Nouvelles controlled sections of the 
route, the trip cost USD 129 in bribes that were paid at 19 
checkpoints.  The vehicle was also delayed almost 18 hours en route 
from Lolobo to the Burkina Faso frontier. 
 
 
 
¶5.  Surveyors noted that checkpoints in FAFN-controlled zones were 
typically manned by 6 - 15 soldiers attired in a variety of 
uniforms and carrying a mix of light weapons.  In contrast, in the 
government sectors, interagency teams composed of uniformed 
National Police, Customs, Gendarme, Forestry Police and Anti-Drug 
Police manned the checkpoints.  The drivers paid each service 
separately, with the highest percentage of bribes going to Customs 
officials and the lowest to the Forestry Police.  HUB 
Transportation expert Patrick Kpenou remarked that it was like 
traveling in two different countries. 
 
 
 
The Next Steps 
 
-------------- 
 
 
 
¶6.  Based on the initial survey, a form was designed for legal 
drivers to collect data when they travel the corridor.  Hub 
Officials estimated that approximately 200 legal trucks a day 
 
ABIDJAN 00000158  002 OF 002 
 
 
travel the corridor. (Note:  Based on prior experience in West 
Africa, Hub officials remarked that only slightly more than half of 
the trucks on the road are legal. End Note.)  At the conclusion of 
each trip, forms will be collected and the  information collated. 
The information will be disseminated periodically to government 
officials and non-governmental organizations in an effort to 
eliminate barriers, delays and bribes along the route.  Mr. Kpenou 
said that while corruption and delays are endemic to the transport 
industry in West Africa, the disparities between the north and 
south in Cote d'Ivoire are unusual because they occur within in a 
single state. 
 
 
 
¶7.  Embassy Comment: As data is compiled in the coming months, we 
will monitor HUB reports for indicators that the central government 
is re-establishing control in the north.  Key indicators we 
anticipate include: 
 
 
 
- Re-establishment of the presence of uniformed Immigration and 
Customs officials at the border crossing at Laleraba; 
 
- Harmonization between FAFN and GOCI Tickets de Convoyage issued 
at Laleraba and Port of Abidjan, respectively, in terms of prices 
and forms; 
 
- The presence of uniformed officials representing the National 
Police, Customs, Gendarmes, Forest Police and Anti-Drug Police at 
all checkpoints; and 
 
-  A reduction in delays in the currently FAFN-controlled regions 
of the country. End comment. 
STANLEY