Misanet / IRIN, 22 February - A businessman closely linked to the rebel forces controlling northern Côte d'Ivoire has opened a new savings bank, which will operate exclusively in rebel-held areas of the West African country. These are the first financial services to be given in this impoverished northern half of the country.

All other banks in the rebel territory of northern Côte d'Ivoire have been closed since civil war broke out in the country in September 2002, plunging businesses in the north into a financial crisis and forcing individuals involved in commerce to conduct most of their transactions in cash.

Bonaventure Kouassi, the director of LONUCI, the national lottery run by the rebel authorities, opened the first branch of his savings bank, the Caisse d'Epargne Populaire et de Credit de Côte d'Ivoire (CEPC) in the rebel capital Bouaké on Monday.

Rebel leader Guillaume Soro immediately deposited one million CFA francs (US$ 2,000) to open an account and several other senior figures in the rebel Forces Nouvelles movement queued up behind him.

Mr Kouassi said he planned to open further branches of CEPC in the rebel-held towns of Korhogo, Man, Seguela, Odienne and Bouna during the coming months. Also these former vivid cities have been economically paralysed since the rebels effectively split the north from the Ivorian financial capital, Abidjan.

Most of the inhabitants of the rebel-controlled parts of Côte d'Ivoire by now lack basic health, sanitation, water and education services as the Forces Nouvelles have yet to establish a real government service in the northern half of the country. Poverty and malnutrition are reported to spread rapidly in these parts of the country.

In addition to lacking government services, the Ivorian north has been suffering from a practical blockade from the more developed south, which is in government hands. Despite a peace agreement, roadblocks mostly prevent trade between the two halves of the country. Most businesses based in government-controlled Abidjan have ceased their services in the north, including all commercial banks.

The Forces Nouvelles on various occasions have indicated their interest in establishing real government structures from their capital, Bouaké. As this would be understood as a first step towards full independence for the North, such initiatives have however not been accepted by the international community.

Various peace agreements have so far mostly only secured a fragile ceasefire. South African President Thabo Mbeki is currently spearheading a mediation to try to solve the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire so that the country can be reunified and elections held on schedule in October. But so far he has little success in breaking the deadlock.

By UN agency IRIN / afrol News staff

© IRIN / afrol News

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