AFP | SIA KAMBOU> People walk by closed stores on January 18, 2011 in the pro-Ouattara popular district of Adjame's market in Abidjan as supporters of internationally recognized Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara called for a general strike against the Gbagbo camp.
By HONORE KOUA in AbidjanPosted Wednesday, January 19 2011 at 11:20
The African Union envoy Mr Raila Odinga was due to leave Côte d’Ivoire Wednesday morning without a deal in the country’s post-electoral crisis.
Journalists were told Tuesday afternoon that Mr Odinga would have a press conference at 7.30 am (Côte d’Ivoire time) before leaving the country for Ghana.
Earlier a spokesman for Kenyan Prime Minister Salim Lone told Reuters news agency the mediator was leaving Côte d’Ivoire for Ghana, Burkina Faso and South Africa. "No, he's not given up on this process," Salim Lone also said.
According to sources close to the mediation, after the Tuesday meeting with incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo and his opponent Alassane Ouattara, Mr Odinga was expecting concessions from both men.
Gbagbo’s camp accepted to have direct talks with the opposition but refused to remove the blockade of the hotel where Ouattara camp is staying. Mr Ouattara on his part maintained his condition, for Gbagbo to recognise him as president before any negotiation.
The Kenyan premier met some ambassadors in Abidjan Tuesday, being optimistic about talks he had even with the two leaders fighting for Côte d’Ivoire’s presidency.
Meanwhile, army chiefs of staff of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) started a two-day meeting in Mali to discuss plans in case a military intervention is required to remove Mr Gbagbo. According to AFP news agency the bloc's military chiefs would work off a report drawn up in December which envisages Nigeria at the head of a regional intervention force and the deployment of combat troops and attack helicopters.
The report also said that Benin, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali and Togo are expected to send troops while Niger is uncertain.
"Our preparations are very advanced and we are ready to move into action if necessary and that must be clear," senior Nigerian officer Olusegun Petinrin told AFP.
General strike
A new general strike call starting from Tuesday from opposition coalition to put pressure on outgoing president had little success. In Abidjan out of the 10 districts only 2 which are Ouattara strongholds, Abobo and Adjamé, followed the movement. In some areas security forces removed barricades held by young people. In others, some taxis were damaged and one burnt by men forcing them to stop work. Outside the commercial capital city, the activities were normal except some schools which were closed for security reasons.
In another development, the two camps are still fighting for the control on the country resources. In fact, a spokesman for Gbagbo’s government Ahoua Don Mello said Tuesday in a statement that through “various letters” directors of national banks and financial institutions were threatened of sanctions. The government “assured them that all measures would be taken to enable them to conduct their business in peace,” the statement added.
Gbagbo’s Cabinet also warned the “authors of these threats and all those who are publishing it that the law will be applied in its entire rigour”.
Last week the European Union expanded sanctions to companies supporting beleaguered Ivorian leader including some banks and financial groups. The same companies have also been threatened of sanctions by Ouattara’s cabinet if they continue to collaborate with Gbagbo’s regime.
The opposition premier Guillaume Soro renewed the move Tuesday informing operators of coffee-cocoa and banks not to pay taxes to the “illegitimate government of Mr Gbagbo”. All amounts paid under these operations “will be considered not received by the State of Côte d'Ivoire and will remain due”, he concluded.
Hours earlier, a press statement announced Mr Soro would represent Mr Ouattara at next summit of Heads of State of West African Economic and Monetary Union scheduled on January 22 in Mali. The declaration said opposition Prime Minister would also meet Mr Ouattara “counterparts” in the coming days in several African capitals namely Ouagadougou, Niamey, Lomé, Abuja, Malabo, Lilongwe, Lusaka and Pretoria.
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