camps, he said Ivorians must ‘‘convinceeach other to reconcile.’’

The commission, launched in Septem-ber by Ouattara, has drawn public,media and politicians’ criticism for itsslow pace. The body is tasked with set-ting up local committees and holdingpublic hearings in the coming months.(� AFP 17 ⁄ 3 2012)

GABONNew Government

The cabinet gets a new look with achange of Prime Minister.

President Ali Bongo has appointed Ray-mond Ndong Sima as Prime Minister,replacing Paul Biyoghe Mba whoresigned on February 13th in accor-dance with the country’s Constitution.

The new Prime Minister, 57, was theMinister of Husbandry, Fisheries andRural Development in the Governmentled by Biyoghe Mba, who wasappointed in 2009 after the death ofPresident Omar Bongo. The appoint-ment follows the parliamentary elec-tions of December 17th 2011, in whichthe ruling Gabonese Democratic Party(PGD) won a majority of seats in Par-liament.

Mr Ndong Sima announced his new 29member government on February 28th,which is now as follows:

Head of State: President Ali BongoPrime Minister: Raymond Ndong Sima

MinistersJustice, Attorney General, Human Rightsand Relations with Constitutional Institu-tions, Government Spokesperson: Ida Rete-no AssonouetForeign Affairs, International Cooperation,Francophony, in charge of NEPAD andRegional Integration: Emmanuel IssozeNgondetHealth: Leon NzoubaAgriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and RuralDevelopment: Julien Nkoghe BekaleInvestment Promotion, Public Works,Transport, Housing and Tourism, responsi-ble for regional planning: Magloire Ngam-biaDigital Economy, Communications, and thePost: Blaise LouembeNational Education, Higher and Technicaleducation and Vocational Training, incharge of Culture, Youth and Sports: Sera-phin MoundoungaWater and Forests: Gabriel NtchangoSmall and Medium Enterprises, Handicraftand Trade: Fidele Mengue M’engouangInterior, Public Security, Immigration andDecentralization: Jean Francois NdongouNational Defence: Pacome Rufin Ond-zoungaFamily Welfare and Social Affairs: Hono-rine Nzet BitegheIndustry and Mines: Regis Immongault Ta-taganiEconomy, Employment and SustainableDevelopment: Luc OyoubiBudget, Public Accounts and Civil Service:Christiane Rose Ossoucah RapondaPetroleum, Energy and Water Resources:Etienne Ngoubou (PANA, Libreville28,9 ⁄ 2)

AFP comments that there are manychanges in the new line-up, with severalstalwarts including the late Omar Bon-go’s Foreign Minister and son-in-law,Paul Toungui being replaced.

He had served in the government since1990. The Energy Minister was alsoreplaced but the Ministers of Justice,Home Affairs and Defence kept theirportfolios. (� AFP 29 ⁄ 2 2012) PM resigns

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CONSTITUTIONALCHANGES

EGYPTTransition Plans

A constitutional panel is to deter-mine the future shape of the country,with Islamists seeking to dominate.

On February 28th, the Senate chose anIslamist as its speaker, extending thereligious conservatives’ power over thelegislature tasked with appointing apanel to draft a new constitution.

Ahmed Fahmy of the dominant IslamistFreedom and Justice Party (FJP) waschosen to lead the 270-seat senate afterIslamists won most of the 180 electedseats in the chamber. The ruling mili-tary will appoint the remaining sena-tors.

Another party official, Saed al-Katatni,was voted speaker of parliament in Jan-uary.

The two houses met in late March toappoint a panel that will draft a newconstitution, in place of the one sus-pended by the ruling generals after apopular revolt overthrew presidentHosni Mubarak a year ago.

However, before the committee couldbe appointed on March 24th, a numberof liberal MPs walked out of a parlia-mentary vote, accusing Islamist partiesof trying to monopolise the process. Isl-amists, who won a majority in bothhouses, are believed to want to domi-nate the panel, which has placed themat odds with the Supreme Council ofthe Armed Forces (SCAF) and liberals.

The military, which has suggested itwould like the new constitution to giveit privileges after it hands the reins ofgovernment to an elected president, haspromised to allow parliament toappoint the panel. Both the SCAF andliberals want to influence the criteriafor constitutional panel members, toensure that it is not dominated by anyone group. (� AFP 28 ⁄ 2; 3 ⁄ 3 2012; BBCNews Online 24 ⁄ 3)

Coptic Pope Dies

Egypt’s Coptic Christian Pope Shenou-da III has died at the age of 88, state

Democratic Republic of Congo

Government Resigns

The government of DR Congo, headedby Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito,resigned more than three months afterlegislative elections.

Muzito ‘‘presented the resignation of hisgovernment’’ to President Joseph Kabila,said the outgoing government’s spokes-man Lambert Mende.

The country held presidential and legisla-tive elections on November 28th follow-ing a campaign marred by violence andclaims by opposition leader Etienne Tsh-isekedi of foul play. Results for the presi-dential ballot were released in lateDecember and returned Kabila who hasbeen in power since 2001.

The polls were widely criticised as cha-otic and riven with irregularities. Kabi-la’s inauguration was largely snubbed bythe international community.

The results of the legislative ballot wereonly announced on February 1st, givingKabila’s party and its allies control ofparliament, albeit with a reduced major-ity. (� AFP 6 ⁄ 3 2012)

Seychelles

New Appointments

The national assembly has approved sixnew ministers appointed by PresidentJames Michel. The 31 Parti Lepep depu-ties, headed by the new Leader of Gov-ernment Business, Marie-Antoinette Rose,gave their unanimous support for the sixnew ministers.

The sole opposition deputy, David Pierre,abstained, saying he had some reserva-tions regarding one or two of the newlyappointed ministers.

The new ministers are:

Finance, Commerce and Investment:Pierre LaporteTourism and Culture: Alain St AngeLand Use and Housing: ChristianLionnetEnvironment and Energy: Rolph PayetHealth: Mitcy LarueEmployment and Human ResourceDevelopment: Idith Alexander(Seychelles Nation website, Victoria14 ⁄ 3)

March 1st–31st 2012 Africa Research Bulletin – 19191

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� Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2012.