DATE=1/14/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IVORY COAST / POLITICS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258075
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The Ivory Coast's military ruler, General
Robert Guei, has re-arranged his transition team to
include two more members of the main opposition party,
the Popular Front. As V-O-A Correspondent Laurie
Kassman reports from Abidjan, the move eases tensions
with the key political party.
TEXT: General Guei has split two ministries and added
two more Popular Front party members to his transition
team.
The ministry for trade, industry and tourism has been
split in two and Affi N'Guessan of the Popular Front
put in charge of industry and tourism. Mamadou
Koulibaly gets the budget portfolio.
An official decree detailing the changes was published
in Friday's newspapers.
The move eases tensions between General Guei and the
main opposition party, whose leader, Laurent Gbagbo,
had complained of inadequate representation in the
interim government. The party boycotted the first
cabinet meeting last week, complaining that General
Guei was favoring the rival opposition group, Rally of
the Republicans, with more ministerial positions.
After closed-door negotiations, the Popular Front
earlier this week agreed to join the transition team.
The party now holds six of the 23 cabinet posts.
With his transition team in place, General Guei now
has to deal with some priority political and social
issues.
At the top of the list is paying back wages to the
military and smoothing relations with foreign
creditors.
Earlier in the week, Abidjan's street sweepers dumped
garbage in the streets to protest unpaid wages. On
Thursday, students from the technical university
briefly demonstrated for better living conditions.
(SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/GE/JP
14-Jan-2000 11:23 AM EDT (14-Jan-2000 1623 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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