/ 31 January 2000

CÔTE D’IVOIRE REPAYS EU

GENERAL Robert Guei, who seized power in Côte d’Ivoire on December 24, has reimbursed 28-million euros in EU funds “misappropriated” by the regime of the elected president he overthrew, an EU source said on Saturday. Speaking on the sidelines of an informal meeting of EU cooperation and development ministers, the source said the “entirety” of the money, allegedly embezzled by ex-president Henri Konan Bedie and his ruling Democratic Party, has been returned to the government coffers.