Bangolo- Promotion of peace
through sport

Le Temps–
It is an initiative by the
United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI). From 16 to 22 May 2010, the
Mission organized a "maracana" tournament whose aim was to promote peace and
social cohesion in Bangolo district. Young people attended the tournament,
including a team of former football players. But many others would attend if the
UN mission helped to convince people to disarm. We understand...

The RHDP march – Five arms
caches discovered - UNOCI caught red-handed – All information on the conspiracy
of France and its allies

Le Temps Hebdo  –
The apocalypse will not happen. The conspiracy that the war dogs and their
supporters were preparing was defused by the President of the Republic. (...) How
did the arms get into Abidjan? Beyond the RHDP, the unsuspected commando who
offered its help for the success of the coup had not skimped on the resources.
Using its right to inviolability on the control of vehicles, UNOCI provided the
criminal with its soldiers and vehicles. Hundreds of arms and ammunitions,
therefore, were deposited in various municipalities in Abidjan. (...) UNOCI
soldiers under the leadership of France facilitated the transportation of arms
to Abidjan. We can, then, affirm that UNOCI played a major role in the
preparation of the plot. (...)

ADB's annual meeting in Abidjan
- Donald Kaberuka: "This is a strong signal to Côte d'Ivoire"

Notre Voie  –
The President of the
African Development Bank (ADB), Donald Kaberuka, said that Africa's challenges
remain the same regardless of the President who will lead the institution. He
called on Ivorians to make every effort to end the crisis which is, according to
him, "the sine qua non for the return of the institution to its headquarters".
He said this yesterday at the ballroom of Hotel Ivoire, Abidjan-Cocody, outside
the preparatory working session of the 45^th annual meeting of the
ADB. For him, the African Development Bank's support to Côte d'Ivoire and the
holding of the meeting in Abidjan constitute a strong signal to the country.
"The successful resolution of the crisis will be an opportunity to Côte d'Ivoire
to continue its actions as economic leader in the West African sub-region", he
said, adding that the "return will also especially depend on staff's safety, 
the availability of schools and hospitals and the completion of the
rehabilitation of the headquarters' building". (...) 

Obama puts pressure on Gbagbo –
The United States' President wants elections by August 2010

L'Inter  –
Barack Obama would like presidential elections to be organized by August 2010,
that is to say, within only two months. Elections which are supposed to put an
end to the Ivorian crisis have been successively postponed since 2005. According
to the newspaper, La Lettre du Continent, in its edition of 20 May 2010, it
seems that the situation is annoying the American President, to such a point
that he has decided to put pressure on Laurent Gbagbo. Since he is also tired of
the "PSS" – country without election - in West Africa, President Barack Obama,
on 10 May, appointed a new Ambassador to Abidjan, whose principal mission will
be to put pressure on Laurent Gbagbo to hold elections. (...) Political
instability in Abidjan is irritating Barack Obama. If election is not held by
August (2010), Laurent Gbagbo will certainly have a diplomatic missile from the
White House, like the mission sent to Guinea and Niger, insisted La Lettre du
Continent, which outlined that "Paris, which is still fearing for its
multifaceted interests in Abidjan, quietly welcomes the intervention of the
American President which has a strong influence in the United Nations and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF). It seems that the United States especially
fears an extension of the terrorist network Al-Qaeda in West Africa. (...)

Amani Michel, Minister of
Defense: "They prevent me from buying weapons. I cannot understand it."

L'Expression  -
"No one can destroy this country. And when bishops proclaimed the end of this
war, I firmly believe them. (...) Thanks to weapons we are going to order here
and there we will defeat the enemy but I cannot sleep because powerful men have
imposed an embargo. (...) however, God is more powerful than the embargo. I am
forbidden to order arms. I cannot support it" the Defense Minister Michel Amani
said. (...)

National politics:
Bédié-ADO-Anaky-Mabri met yesterday - The idea of a single presidential
candidate for the opposition parties is back

L'Intelligent d'Abidjan
 - The four leaders
of the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) met, on Tuesday,
May 25, 2010 at the residence of the President of the PDCI in Cocody. They
talked about the new orientation of the RHDP for the upcoming elections (...)
during that meeting they succeeded in putting to an end their divergence that
arose after the postponement of the march on May 15, 2010. According to the
President of the UDPCI, spokesperson for the occasion, the RHDP remained
committed to the crisis-resolution, despite some points of disagreement in the
peace process between the opposition and the presidential camp. To give
themselves more chance of winning the elections, they have revived the question
of the single presidential candidate. "The RHDP will resume its activities and
we are thinking about the way to govern together. In the coming days we will
give you some indications (...) We will initiate the process that will help us
establish a unified party of the Houphouetists and we will campaign for the
elections we are sure to win to restore peace in Côte d'Ivoire and rebuild our
country," Dr. Albert Mabri Toikeusse said after an hour behind closed doors.
(...)

Command of Zone III of the
Forces Nouvelles: Wattao demands the departure of Chérif Ousmane. Military
headquarters and soldiers divided

Soir Info
 - Bouake, the headquarters of
the Forces Nouvelles (FN), is experiencing tough times. The Deputy Army Chief of
Staff (CEMAD) of the Forces Nouvelles (Fan), Issiaka Ouattara aka Wattao no
longer supports the presence in that city, of Chérif Ousmane, the Commander of
the  "Cheetah Company". Wattao whose close friend, Dem Coul was killed by
members of Chérif Ousmane' squad on Thursday, April 29, 2010 in Bouaké during a
clash, now intends to "restore" order in the capital of the Valley of Bandama.
To do this, according to our source, he has decided to attack the head of Zone
III. In a proposal made to the Chief of Staff of FAFN, General Soumaila
Bakayoko, Issiaka Ouattara called for the replacement of Chérif Ousmane as head
of Zone III. According to the same source, Wattao wanted Chérif to be
transferred out of the city of Bouake. Wattao based his decision on a number of
crimes committed in Bouake and the confrontation on April 29 of the two rebel
factions. (...) Some believed that the complaint was acceptable because Chérif
Ousmane and his elements are the conservative wing refractory to the new policy
of the Fn. Others are convinced that by accepting Wattao's demand, the military
and political authorities of the former rebellion, would open the door to
significant uncertainties in the occupied areas. (...)