ICoast ruling party urges 'quick polls' after UN snub

2010-03-18T10:16:37Z

<div><p>Ivory Coast's ruling party Thursday said it wanted quick presidential elections, a day after the United Nations slammed the west African nation for dragging its feet on the poll originally due in 2005.</p><p>"We are in a hurry, we want to go to the polls but at the same time we want transparent elections," said Martin Sokouri Bohui, in charge of po...

Japan reschedules I.Coast's debt, urges election

2010-03-16T13:16:18Z

<div><p>Japan on Tuesday rescheduled 91.5 million euros (126 million dollars) in Ivory Coast's debt and urged the divided west African country to hold a long-delayed presidential election.</p><p>The accord was signed at a ceremony in Abidjan by Ivorian Economy Minis...

Ghana leader meets I.Coast envoy over border row

2010-03-16T08:16:00Z

<div><p>Ghana President John Atta Mills met an Ivorian envoy Tuesday over a dispute about the neighbours' offshore boundary, which falls in an oil-rich zone, and said the row must not harm their ties.</p><p>Ghana's recent discovery of oil reserves off its coast has kicked off a row with Ivory Coast ov...

I.Coast's ex-rebels vow to disarm before vote

2010-03-15T06:16:01Z

<div><p>Ivory Coast's former rebel New Forces, led by Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, on Monday pledged to disarm before a presidential election slated for late April or early May.</p><p>FN leaders, who control the north of the divided west African country since a foiled coup bid against Gbagbo in September 2002, met at the weekend in their headquarters tow...

Hiddink rejects Ivory Coast approaches over World Cup

2010-03-13T10:15:28Z

<div><p>Guus Hiddink will not coach the Ivory Coast at June's World Cup finals in South Africa, the Dutchman said in a newspaper column on Saturday.</p><p>"I must admit that the Ivory Coast did not make the decision easy.

Hiddink set to lead Ivory Coast at World Cup

2010-03-12T05:15:45Z

<div><p>Guus Hiddink will coach the Ivory Coast at the World Cup providing he can break his contract with Russia which expires in July, his agent said on Friday.</p><p>Cees van Nieuwenhuizen confirmed that Hiddink has signed a deal with the African side, add...

Hiddink set for Ivory Coast

2010-03-12T03:16:48Z

Troussier, Hiddink 'bidding for Ivory Coast job'

2010-03-10T04:16:12Z

<div><p>French coach Philippe Troussier is vying with Dutchman Guus Hiddink for the job to guide the Ivory Coast through this year's World Cup, a Japanese newspaper reported Wednesday.</p><p>"I got an offer (from the Ivory Coast). But...

Troussier, Hiddink 'bid for Ivory Coast job'

2010-03-10T03:16:07Z

African Union urges Ivory Coast to hold vote

2010-03-08T03:15:49Z

<div><p>The African Union called Monday on Ivory Coast to hold its presidential election, delayed since 2005, by the agreed deadline of early May.</p><p>The African Union's Peace and Security Council urged all political forces in Ivory Coast to work to create a climate that would allow the holding of a "free, legal and transparent election within the agreed ...

New Ivory Coast electoral panel starts work

2010-03-05T11:17:40Z

<div><p>The new head of Ivory Coast's Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) officially began work Friday, heading a panel formed last week to lead the country to a long-delayed presidential poll.</p><p>Youssouf Bakayoko, a member of the opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coa...

ICoast claiming part of oil-rich offshore Ghana: minister

2010-03-05T10:17:20Z

<div><p>The discovery of oil reserves off the coast of Ghana has kicked off a row with Ivory Coast which is claiming part of its neighbour's maritime area, a Ghanaian minister said Friday.</p><p>The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation announced last month the discovery o...

Ivory Coast crisis cools _ for now

2010-03-05T07:45:14Z

<div id="subtitle">Formation of new gov't cools crisis in Ivory Coast but country is impatient for elections</div><div><p>With the formation of a new government, Ivory Coast has defused a political crisis that triggered deadly riots — but has also allowed the embattled president to postpone long-promised elections by at least two months.</p><p>Three weeks ago, Ivory Coast's opposition parties on Thursday entered a new government, ending a weeks-long political crisis triggered when President Laurent Gbagbo dissolved the previous cabinet.</p><p>The 11 posts reserved for opposition parties in a 28-member team led by Prime Minister Guillaume Soro we...

Ivory Coast opposition enters new govt

2010-03-04T11:17:54Z

<div><p>Ivory Coast's opposition parties on Thursday entered a new government, ending a weeks-long political crisis triggered when President Laurent Gbagbo dissolved the previous cabinet.</p><p>The 11 posts reserved for opposition parties in a 28-member team led by Prime Minister Guillaume Soro we...

S.Korea get World Cup boost after Ivory Coast win

2010-03-03T19:16:54Z

<div><p>South Korea coach Huh Jong-moo believes his side's impressive victory over the Ivory Coast leaves them perfectly positioned to make an impact at this year's World Cup.</p><p>Goals from Lee Dong-gook and South Korea's reward for beating Ivory Coast 2-0 in a friendly international at Loftus Road here on Wednesday was to be promised more "homework" by coach Huh Jung-moo ahead of the World Cup finals.</p><p>An early goal from

ECOWAS lauds Ivorian parties for resolving political crisis

2010-02-28T10:16:02Z

<div><p>West African regional grouping ECOWAS on Sunday lauded government and opposition parties in Ivory Coast for agreeing on a new government and electoral body to resolve the country's political crisis.</p><p>The Economic Community of West African States "commends the Ivorian parties for the demonst...

I.Coast opposition agrees to join government

2010-02-26T14:17:30Z

<div><p>Ivory Coast's opposition on Friday said it would join the country's new government, in the latest of a series of developments that brought the nation closer to resolving a political crisis.</p><p>The west African country has been in turmoil since President Laurent Gbagbo sacked the cabinet and electoral commission on February 12.</p><p>...

I.Coast awaits complete government to prepare polls

2010-02-26T14:17:26Z

<div><p>A new opposition-led electoral panel took charge Friday of planning a long-awaited presidential poll in Ivory Coast, with support from President Laurent Gbagbo's party in its task.</p><p>The naming of the new Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) late T...

The latest in Cote d'Ivoire