The following report highlights major news developments in politics, health, and security in Cote d’Ivoire as of 25 November. This edition focuses on an economic forum dedicated to Cote d’Ivoire in Dubai, the Customs Department collected revenue, COVID-19 update, and a French court summoning former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro. The report includes background information to add context to the news items.
ECONOMY
Prime Minister To Attend Economic Forum Dedicated to Cote d’Ivoire in Dubai
The website of the Prime Ministry reported that Prime Minister Patrick Achi is at the Expo Dubai 2020 this Thursday, 25 November on the occasion of the National Day and the Economic Forum dedicated to the economic and socio-cultural promotion of Cote d’Ivoire in the United Arab Emirates. The Government assigned a target of $1.7 billion of investment intention to Team Cote d’Ivoire through the Forum.
Background: Expo Dubai 2020 is an international business meeting that takes place from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 under the theme: “Connecting minds, building the future”. Some 25 million visitors from 190 countries are expected to attend.
Customs Managing Director Pledges To Meet 2021 Revenue Objectives
Media reports quoted General Alphonse Da Pierre, the Managing Director of the Customs Department, as saying that his institution will meet its objective of collecting $3.5 billion of customs revenue by the end of November. Da Pierre said that he took the revenue objective from $3.4 billion to $3.5 billion despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
HEALTH
COVID-19 Update as of 24 November
New cases: 8 positive of 2,106 samples (0.4 percent)
Total cases: 61,660
New recoveries: 29
Total recoveries: 60,626
New deaths: 0
Total deaths: 703
Active cases: 331
New vaccination doses: 49,280
Total vaccination doses: 4,262,743
Source: Ministry of Health
TRENDING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
French Court Summons Guillaume Soro for ‘Abducting’ Michel Gbagbo in 2011
A court in Paris, France, on 24 November summoned Guillaume Soro, former Ivoirian Prime Minister and National Assembly Speaker, for his alleged participation in acts of “arrest, Kidnapping, arbitrary detention committed from 29 March to 11 April 2011 in Abidjan, in Cote d’Ivoire, to the prejudice of Michel Koudou Gbagbo (the son of the former president).” Facebook pages like Ovajab Media, Souley DeParis B52, and Abdoul Massahe Le Panafricain, carried the information. In a separate publication on his Facebook page, Guillaume Soro posted his lawyers’ response to the judge who summoned their client. The various publications received 2,835 likes and 2,489 comments, while the live stream on Souley DeParis B52 was viewed 56,000 times. Comments were critical of Soro who they say is shying away from justice while he erstwhile used to ask his opponents to be courageous and accept to face justice. Comments on Soro’s Facebook page were, however, supportive of him. Some saying that it is a plot against Soro and whoever attempts to carry on with the case of Michel Gbagbo against Guillaume Soro does not master the laws.
