IVORY COAST: Rival government named in as presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara says incumbent Laurent Gbagbo must step down

Record ID: 181760

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Rival government named in as presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara says incumbent Laurent Gbagbo must step down
  • Date: 6th December 2010
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (DECEMBER 5, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNITED NATIONS TANKS AND PERSONNEL, SECURITY CHECKS IN FRONT OF HOTEL GOLF (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEITE SINDOU, SPOKESMAN OF OPPOSITION LEADER ALASSANE OUATTARA'S PARALLEL GOVERNMENT, SAYING: "In the name of the president of the republic, Alassane Dramane Ouattara, (clapping) and the prime minister Mr Guillaume Soro, I have two announcements. One naming certain members of the government, and the other announcing a number of cabinet minister for the president of the republic." JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEITE SINDOU, SPOKESMAN OF OPPOSITION LEADER ALASSANE OUATTARA'S PARALLEL GOVERNMENT, SAYING "Economy and Finance minister Mr Charles Dibi Koffi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Baptiste Kakou, Interior Minister Mr Ahmed Bakayoko." VARIOUS OF STREET SCENES IN ABIDJAN WITH TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE WALKING IN SUNSET
  • Embargoed: 21st December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2ITHMX701VYAFDFD12GI5VQZ0
  • Story Text: Presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara said on Sunday (December 5) that incumbent Laurent Gbagbo must step down after a disputed poll in Ivory Coast, and he named a rival government as African mediators tried to resolve the stalemate.
    The Nov. 28 election was aimed at reuniting the West African nation, split after a 2002-3 civil war, but both Gbagbo and Ouattara have claimed victory and taken presidential oaths.
    Gbagbo was sworn in as president on Saturday even though the electoral commission declared Ouattara the winner, according to provisional results.
    Ouattara's comments after talks with Thabo Mbeki, the former South African president leading the mediation effort, showed he was in no mood for compromise after securing endorsements from the United Nations, neighbours and others. He later named a government including Gbagbo's former premier Guillaume Soro as prime minister and defence minister.
    Meite Sindou, a spokesman for the opposition leader, named members of the new parallel government on behalf of Ouattara and his prime minister Guillaume Soro.
    Ouattara named Gbagbo's former finance minister, Charles Koffi Dibby, in his cabinet. Dibby, a technocrat who has been praised for his handling of the economy and debt negotiations, was not available to confirm he had switched allegiances.
    Mbeki earlier told the media only that the talks with Ouattara had been positive and that the African Union considered the situation very serious.
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