President Laurent Gbagbo: «Not exceeding twelve months.»

© afrol / Frédéric de La Mure / Gouvt. française

afrol News, 18 October - An African Union (AU) meeting in Addis Ababa decided to extend the presidency of Côte d'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo by one year without holding elections, causing protests by the ex-rebel New Forces. During the AU meeting, South African President Thabo Mbeki also relinquished his role as mediator in the country following pressure from the rebels.

This is the second time President Gbagbo sees his presidential term extended for one year by the AU. According to an AU communiqué released today, African leaders had "decided" to establish "a new transition period not exceeding twelve months" in Côte d'Ivoire, "commencing from 1 November 2006."

During this transition period, the statement continued, "President Gbagbo shall remain Head of State," and "the Prime Minister of the transition Charles Konan Banny shall have all the necessary powers and means to implement" military reorganisations and new elections. Mr Bonny was also given "necessary authority over all the integrated Ivorian defence and security forces."

The African leaders foresee that the Ivorian government, which includes President Gbagbo's party, the ex-rebels and traditional opposition parties, organise nation-wide elections by October 2007, to see off a new, elected government before 1 November 2007. A similar decision was made one year ago, also extending Mr Gagbo's term with one year.

The New Forces, which control the northern half of Côte d'Ivoire, however have no confidence in President Gbagbo's willingness to arrange elections within the next year, referring to the last year of broken promises. "We still demand [Gbagbo] goes after October 30. Nothing justifies his presence in this transition," ex-rebel spokesman Sidiki Konaté today told Reuters news agency.

The northern ex-rebels however noted some smaller successes at the Addis Ababa summit. Prime Minister Banny - who is neutral in the Ivorian north-south conflict - was given some of President Gbagbo's powers, which could enable him to take control of the armed forces and the electoral process. The New Forces however fear Mr Bonny again may be outmanoeuvred by the President.

The ex-rebels also enjoyed a diplomatic victory when South African President Mbeki relinquished his role as mediator at the AU meeting. President Mbeki was seen as too close to President Gbagbo, causing frustrations among the New Forces and PM Banny.

In line with recommendations from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the mediation process will now fall on Congo Brazzaville President Dénis Sassou Nguesso, who is also the current President of the AU, Alpha Oumar Konaré, the president of the AU Commission, and current ECOWAS leader and Nigerien President Mamadou Tadja. Also ECOWAS had been sceptical regarding Mr Mbeki's mediation.

Another defeat fro President Gbagbo was the AU's hailing of the UN peacekeeping mission UNOCI and the French peacekeeping forces "Operation Licorne" and a call for the "enhancement of their mandate." The Ivorian President had called for both missions to be dismantled and the demilitarised zone between the North and the South to be removed. President Gbagbo in particular had been angered by the French mission, but AU leaders were not impressed by his arguments.

AU officials say the current decisions were to be presented to the UN Security Council for a final approval next week. A UN resolution would thus be binding for the government and opposition of Côte d'Ivoire. It is expected that the UN Council will fully support the AU recommendations.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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