WASHINGTON-President Bush has withdrawn certain trade benefits accorded Cote d’Ivoire, the western African nation that stormed Western Wireless Corp.’s offices in 2003 and forced the firm to shut down mobile-phone operations.
The White House took action in December, removing Cote d’Ivoire from the list of countries eligible for tariff preferences under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
Western Wireless International Corp. and Modern Africa Growth & Investment Co., U.S.-based majority owners of wireless carrier Cora de Comstar, have filed a $54 million expropriation claim against the government of Cote d’Ivoire in an effort to reclaim assets seized by the government during an assault and occupation of the company in October 2003.
