MONTHLY REPORT--ABIDJAN BUREAU--JANUARY 1987

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP94-00798R000200190023-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 14, 2012
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: February 1, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200190023-0
EMBASSY OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
ABIDJAN BUREAU
MAR 6030
1 February 1987
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THRU: Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT: Monthly Report--Abidjan Bureau--January 1987
I. GENERAL
A. Most mission activity this month centered around preparations for
visits from high level U.S. Government officials. Secretary of State George
Shultz visited Ivory Coast from 13-15 January as part of a six country Africa
tour which also included Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, and Liberia in West
Africa. The Secretary's visit was followed 16-19 January by that of a con-
gressional delegation headed by Florida Congressman Claude Pepper. Later
during the month Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley brought a 22-member trade dele-
gation to meet with members of the Ivory Coast Government and business com-
munity. In general, Abidjan appeared to be the "hot spot" for American visitors
from all fields of endeavor including rock singer Robert "Kool" Bell of the
group "Kool and the Gang", who stopped through for a week to discuss an agri-
cultural business venture with local businessmen and to sign autographs at a
local shopping center.
B. The dollar experienced a significant drop against the CFA during the
month. The CFA/USD exchange rate went from a high of 321/1 on 2 January to
298/1 at the end of the month. The Embassy economic counselor is predicting
a continued downward trend with the CFA possibly reaching 250 before
the end of the year. In response to the falling dollar, the post cost of liv-
ing allowance was increased from Class 42 to Class 50 on 18 January, an in-
crease of about 20 percent for bureau staff employees.
II. OPERATIONS
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. In connection with the visit of Secretary of State Shultz, the
bureau provided all affected regional embassies with previsit comment, re-
portage during the visit, and comment and analysis of the results of the
visit from regional radios. Comment was generally quite favorable but the
Nigerians took issue with the vigor with which the Secretary's security team
pursued their task. BBC's East Africa Unit provided backstop PANA coverage
during the Secretary's visit to Senegal due to poor reception of Dakar radio
at Abidjan Bureau.
2. In Chad there was heavy fighting throughout the month between
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14 CIA-RDP94-00798R000200190023-0
Libyan-backed insurgents and troops loyal to Chadian President Habre. On
4 January, the Libyans attacked Arada, south of the 16th parallel which had
served as a demarcation line between French and Libyan forces. France retal-
iated on 7 January by bombing a Libyan radar installation in the north of
Chad. As the month ended, there were numerous reports of Libya increasing
the number of troops in Chad and of continued fighting in the north.
3. Among the other notable events of the month were the traditional
flurry of New Year's speeches by regional leaders; a canceled summit in
Yamoussoukro involving Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, and Burkina Faso; and the
Niger head of state's stroke which required him to be evacuated to France for
treatment. The bureau also provided extensive coverage of the visit to Ghana
and Nigeria by British Minister of State Lynda Chalker.
B. Technical
The bureau's engineering team has completed installation of press
rack antenna matrix select switches. This installation allows editors to
select any one of six antennas for optimum reception of press services.
III. ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
STAT
1. Bureau engineer
eceived a promotion effective 4
January.
2. Monitor supervisor
STAT
was named acting chief STAT
monitor replacing
STAT
Senior monitors
retired7---
in December.
will
serve as acting monitor super-
visor tor 3 months each, after
which time
a permanent supervisor will be named. STAT
ill continue to
fill the second monitor supervisor position.
STAT
3. Monitor supervisor
B. Buildings and Grounds
received a PSI during the month.
The pace of residential security enhancements was stepped up near
the end of the month. Safehaven and/or solid core exterior doors with peep-
holes and dead bolt locks have been installed in three residences by an Embassy
contractor. Also, the bureau engineer and technician have completed installa-
tion of burglar alarm systems in three of the five staff residences.
V. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
1. On 16 January Deputy Chief
briefed the visiting congres-
sional delegation headed by Congressman pepper on bureau operations.
2. Engineer
was drafted into service as one of 10 Embassy
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STA'
STA
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-3-
couriers who shuttled between Secretary of State Shultz' communication center
in the Hotel Ivoire and the U.S. Embassy. drew the graveyard shift,
pulling duty from 2000-0600.
3. Bureau chief along with five other Country Team mem-
bers served as an off c a u ge or the mission's first West Africa Chili
Cookoff (WACCO) organized to benefit the Marine House. The judges had a diffi-
cult time agreeing on the winners but were unanimous in the opinion that the
task of judging the nine entries was made easier by the fact that large quanti-
ties of cold beer and a bottle of champagne were supplied to cleanse their
palates between tastes.
Chief, Abidjan Bureau
Attachments:
Monthly Production Report
cc: Chief, Swaziland Bureau
Deputy Chief, London Bureau
narinQcifipn in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14 : CIA-RDP94-00798R000200190023-0
STAT
STAT
STAT