I Coast gets new government

2005-12-29 12:30

Abidjan - War-divided Ivory Coast announced a 32-member unity government on Wednesday that included rebel, opposition party and ruling party ministers and represented a rare firm step toward national reconciliation.

Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny, named earlier this month after international mediators persuaded both warring sides to accept him, chose the cabinet, which was announced by President Laurent Gbagbo's office.

Rebel leader Guillaume Soro was named minister of reconstruction. Gbagbo loyalists were among the new ministers.

The powerful minister of defence, who controlled Ivory Coast's army, was Rene Kwasi Aphing, who belonged to neither camp.

Government forces

Ivory Coast slid into civil war after a failed September 2002 attempt to oust Gbagbo, with insurgents taking control of the north and government forces controlling the rich south of the world's largest cocoa exporter.

Despite numerous peace deals, the country remained divided. Earlier transitional governments had failed, rebels and government-allied militias remained armed and 10 000 United Nations and French peacekeepers patrolled front lines.

Gbagbo's mandate expired on October 31, but he said the constitution granted him powers to extend it for one year in order to reorganise elections that failed to materialise this year.

Rebels said he was no longer Ivory Coast's legitimate leader, but by joining his cabinet they were signalling a fresh desire to engage in the political process.

South African, Nigerian and other mediators had worked to get Ivory Coast's peace process back on track and Wednesday's announcement represented a rare moment of accord among Ivory Coast factions.

- AP