Minister of Employment and Civil Service Hubert Oulaye of Cote d'Ivoire

In a statement to media houses, Public Service Minister Hubert Oulaye described the strike by the General Union of Workers of Cote d'Ivoire (UGTCI) as illegal, arguing that the central trade union organization had not complied with the six-day notice prescribed by law for strikes.

But Civil Service Minister Hubert Oulaye said workers from the West African region would not be affected.

On 10 June, communications minister Hubert Oulaye expressed criticism of RTI and its director Kebe Yacouba.

ABIDJAN, 11 March 2004 (IRIN) - Ivorian Labour Minister Hubert Oulaye denied this week that a ministerial decision requiring companies to give priority to Ivorians when hiring staff was “exclusionary”, amid growing tension over the measure.

Decision 1437 of 19 February 2004 in no way aims to 'ivorianize' all jobs or promote 'ivoirite' ", Oulaye said on Wednesday.

Oulaye said Ivorian workers needed to be protected because his ministry had noticed that some employers had given jobs to foreigners when there were Ivorians qualified to do them, or had refused to promote Ivorians to top management positions.

However, Oulaye said nationals of ECOWAS member countries were not concerned by the measure.

Labour Minister Hubert Oulaye has denied that a ministerial decision requiring companies to give priority to Ivorians when hiring staff was exclusionary, amid growing tension over the measure.

Government spokesman Hubert Oulaye said that tests had showed that drinking water had not been contaminated but that all precautions would be taken to protect the population, including relocating those affected.

After he left, Ivorian government spokesman Hubert Oulaye said the African Union will soon send a new full-time delegate to Ivory Coast to complement Mr.