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(Source: Kehi Edouard, SGA RDR USA - Publié le: 16/9/2006)

In part one of this contribution, I dealt with warnings against failure in Cote d’Ivoire. This second and last part concentrates on suggestions for a rapid reconstruction and economic bounce-back in post-conflict Cote d’Ivoire.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Winston Churchill"


Introduction

The social tensions and economic meltdown in Cote d’Ivoire, as well as the azimuth efforts to bring the country back on track, are today of no secret. The world’s superpowers, international organizations spearheaded by the United Nations, and conflicts resolution experts, have all made special diligence to attend to Cote d’Ivoire’s lingering crisis. South Africa, an English speaking and sister African nation, was the last mediating ground from where the Ivorian warring parties and political forces drew the latest lines of the roadmap toward peace and development.

Pursuing to the terms of that road map, a transitional government led by Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny was formed on December 29, 2005, and tagged with the mission of disarming the foes, reuniting the territory, identifying and registering the electorate, and organizing free and fair general elections by October 31, 2006.

As the transitional authorities scramble to take ground and execute their mission, the Ivorian people are faced with the ultimate challenge of picking the right team to manage the post-conflicts COTE D’IVOIRE.

Concluding part one, I rhetorically suggested that the right team to lead the post-conflict Côte d’Ivoire should be composed of Dr. Alassane Dramane OUATTARA as the head of state and/or Government, the Houphouetist political parties’ coalition as the political powerhouse, and the Centrist policy as the governing system.

I) Why Dr. Alassane Dramane OUATTARA?

Due to mismanagement, corruption, and dilapidations of public funds, Côte d’Ivoire was already in a deep economic crisis before the war began. With the war, new financial burdens relating to the war budget occurred.

Thus, in their most recent assessments of Côte d’Ivoire’s economic status, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, provided data, which literally presented the country as a bankrupt nation. Let alone the foreign debt, Côte d’Ivoire’s interior debt outpaced its revenues.
In these conditions, Dr. Ouattara who has a proven record of disciplined financial management, as well as a tested statesmanship profile, seems most suitable to take charge. He is familiar with the root causes of the current challenges at stake, as he has been a former Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire.

In 1990, when Dr. Ouattara was sworn-in as the first Prime Minster in the history of the country, there were two bitterly divided Cote d’Ivoire at his feet:

• A Cote d’Ivoire of the Haves,
  
• And a Cote d’Ivoire the Have-nots.

These two sides were at war over joblessness, opaque management, and political disenfranchise. But because of Dr. Ouattara’s leadership and plan of action, these factions promptly quiet their quarrels. Corruptions and public funds embezzlements dimmed, the one party system gave way to multiparty democracy, while streets protests evaporated.

Because of Dr. Ouattara’s trustworthiness and definiteness of purpose, Cote d’Ivoire reunited and rededicated itself to the pursuit of economic growth, peace and development. Within a promised 100-day period, he designed a new fiscal Code, determined the country’s internal and external financial liabilities, and he proposed a state budget, which not only provided for the increase of health and educational facilities across the country, but also earmarked resources aimed at strengthening the security of the people, as well as alleviating the treat of salaries cut against the civil servants’ revenues.

By a 1000-day in office, he restructured and streamlined a moribund administration into a Government of accountability, which valued nowadays the principles of ‘time-work’ equals ‘time-pay’. He established a new identification system to alter the confused, conflicted and corrupted one formerly in place. The 224 billion of cfa francs of deficit was cut to 56.

The instituted fiscal and budget discipline, the smart privatization of state owned services, and the transparent partnership between the Government and the private sectors, set the paths for steady economic growth and dynamic development. Thus by 1995, Cote d’Ivoire economic growth hit 7%- its highest rating in a quarter century, as more schools and new university campuses were being built, and a rainfall of billions (“la pluie des milliards”) showered the country.

In addition to his national record, Dr. Ouattara’s leadership at the International Monetary Fund-IMF, where he formerly served as Deputy Managing Director of the institution from 1994 to 1999, is an unmatched asset. The experience he gathered from the partnership with the many nations- whose financial and economic programs he oversaw- will certainly help his decisions making, as head of state and/or government.

A Government’s action is limited by budgets, whereas private investments are only limited by opportunities. Today, Cote d’Ivoire needs not just state budget, but also more private investments. Here too, as the country emerges from conflicts, it must reassure potential investors.

After the recent, unfortunate scenes of deprivations and mistreatments that foreign businesses owners suffered at the hands of unpunished, ruthless groups in Cote d’Ivoire, any potential investors will have to consider not only attracting incentives, but also some credible safeguards against expropriations. Here again, Dr. Ouattara, banking on his past record of statesmanship, his successful leadership in alleviating unethical business practices, and his firm emphasis on the rule of law, seems well fit.

Moreover, in a country plagued with large public dissent, violence and political rifts, Dr. Ouattara suits well, as he enjoys large popular support and leans against the largest political party – the RDR, and the largest political powerhouse of Côte d’Ivoire, the rally of the Houphouetist political parties-the RHDP.




On May 18 2005, based on a consensual political platform, four major political parties of Cote d’Ivoire established a coalition called the Democratic and Peaceful Rally of the Houphouetist political parties (RHDP). The coalition includes the following:

• The Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI)-former ruling party, chaired by former President Henri K. Bédié;
  
• The Rally of Republicans (RDR) of former Prime Minister Alassane D. Ouattara;
  
• The Union for Democracy and Peace (UDPCI) of Dr. Mabri A. Toikeussé;
  
• The Movement for Future Strengths (MFA), of Mr. Anaky I. Kobenan.
  

The combined memberships of these parties amount to over 70% of the national political affiliations. These parties derived essentially from the ideology of the late President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, first leader of Côte d’Ivoire. They lean on the center-right philosophy, and Dr. Ouattara is the chief centrist of the coalition’s leaders.

At a time when joblessness, poverty, chaos, and mutual distrust unbearably paralyze Côte d’Ivoire, the country not only needs an experienced, open-minded and centrist leader, but it also needs centrist policies in order to adequately usher in conditions conducive to stability, economic growth, and development.

III) Why Centrism?

Centrism banks on free market economy, but it particularly focuses on the social well being of the population as the measuring stick of the system. In order words, even though the mechanism of wealth creation and distribution in a centrist system is still driven by the essence of capitalism, the system draws heavily on social adjustment programs, which are diligently administered to shrink the gap between the upper and lower classes; thereby increasing the middle class in the society.

Centrism creates a vibrant middle class, whereas the empowerment of the middle class is the most dynamic way to stimulate consumption and economic growth. Technically, the method increases the buying and saving power of the consumers. Economic studies show that, when savings and buying powers are high, the tendency to invest and/or create jobs is proportionally high among the economic agents.

In the 1990s, the American economy experienced a recession subsequent to the burdens of the unpredicted Gulf war. The centrist policies of the Clinton Administration, which revitalized the US economy, and contributed to a rapid economic bounce-back, constituted a remarkable showcase.

Rather than a radical far-right or far-left ideology, centrism seems more suitable to the current circumstances in Cote d’Ivoire. The system is not only important for the inevitable national reconstruction, but it is also necessary to establish a check and balance method in the highly corrupted and disparate society.


CONCUSION

After five unfruitful years under President Laurent Gbagbo whose hard-line rhetoric has incited mob violence, enhanced ethnic distrust, preached hate, and created a deep split in the nation, Côte d’Ivoire needs a open-minded, accountable and democratically elected leader; one who, in contrast to Mr. Gbagbo, must be well experienced, and open to the 21st century world.

Based on his past record and vast experience, together with his large public support, former Prime Minister Alassane Dramane OUATTARA is the best candidate to oversee Cote d’Ivoire’s reconstruction. He is even more suitable, as he leans against the largest political powerhouse in Cote d’Ivoire- the coalition of the Houphouetist political parties.

Calmed and very moderated, Dr. Ouattara constitutes a perfect contrast to the stubborn and hard line presidency of Mr. Laurent GBAGBO. His centrist ideology seems more suitable in the present circumstances of Cote d’Ivoire.

The vast majority of Ivorians look toward Dr. Ouattara to rapidly put their country on the right tracks of stability, economic bounce-back and development. He too has repeatedly stated his eagerness to give Cote d’Ivoire its former life.

Dr. Alassane Dramane OUATTARA and the Houphouetist coalition are the right team to lead our nation back to the stage of freedom for all, equal opportunities for all, and peace and development by the efforts of all.

May the International Community persevere in helping Cote d’Ivoire surmount the present blockades, and soon, by the rights choices of the people and their combined efforts, the country will rise again as a strong ally of the free world.


Kehi Edouard DJOUHA
Washington, DC