Cote d'Ivoire Cocoa Farmers Denounce Export Ban

Cote d'Ivoire Cocoa Farmers Denounce Export Ban

Cocoa farmers in Abidjan have denounced the ban on the export of cocoa, the mainstay of the Ivorian economy. 

Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest exporter of cocoa and its export accounts for more than 40 per cent of the country's GDP, with a chain of businesses tied to the export.

Deadline to resume  
The internationally recognised President of Cote d'Ivoire , Alassane Ouattara, had in January issued a ban on the export of cocoa, following his estrangement from the presidential villa. 

The European Union and the international community, which had already endorsed Ouattara's election, honoured the directive and boycotted the Ivorian cocoa market.
 
''If they don't want it, the Chinese will come and buy because we are fed up with the EU,'' a member of the Council of Elders in the cocoa industry, Sansan Kouao, was quoted as saying in an interview. 

Kouao said the elder's council had given the EU a week to resume patronage otherwise they would look for other buyers, especially from Asia .  

''We will give them a week and if they do not come up, we will come and load all the cocoa…We have no problem keeping cocoa in the bush. We can keep it for a year or two, it does not bother us. Slavery is over,'' Kouao said.

Ouattara gains influence

Reports from Abidjan say that Ouattara continues to gain influence and control in the country as international economic sanctions bites on the Ivorian economy.
 
Three international banks, Access Bank Plc-Nigeria, BICICI-France and Citi Bank-America, on Monday suspended their operations, following the West African central bank's decision to close all its branches in Cote d'Ivoire . 
 
The closure was motivated by the recognition of Ouattara as the president of Cote d'Ivoire , in spite of President Laurent Gbagbo's refusal to hand over after losing the presidential elections in 2010.

Two holidays

Meanwhile, the political crisis has paid off for public servants as the two presidents declared varying days for the celebration of the Eid el Maoulud.

Internationally recognised President Alassane Ouattara declared Wednesday for rest, while the embattled Laurent Gbagbo declared Tuesday as a public holiday.  

Gbagbo's declaration was read on national television, RTI, on Monday night, while Ouattara's declaration was issued by the Minister of Civil Service, Gnamien Konan.

Workers to be paid

Konan said the public should come after the Muslim celebration and public servants would be paid.     

There are reports of a lull in activity on most Abidjan streets, with shops owned by Lebanese business men all closed.

Banks and public offices were also closed on Tuesday and on Wednesday.

The two public holiday dates pitted the Higher Council of Imams against the National Islamic Council; both sided, respectively, with Ouattara and Gbagbo in their arguments for a suitable date.

NAN/Yinka