Addressing Cote d'Ivoire's Deeper Crisis (Africa Security Brief, Number 19, March 2012)
Abstract
The May 2011 inauguration of Alassane Ouattara as President of Cote d'Ivoire culminated a tumultuous 5-month transition of power. The unwillingness of the incumbent candidate, Laurent Gbagbo, to cede power following his electoral defeat eventually led to armed conflict between military forces who supported Ouattara and those loyal to Gbagbo. This resulted in an estimated 3,000 deaths and the involvement of forces from the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI). Thousands of rapes, kidnappings, and fear of retribution compelled over a million people to flee the country's commercial capital, Abidjan. The Ivorian crisis, moreover, has further significance for Africa. If Laurent Gbagbo had been allowed to steal the election, a dangerous pattern would have been reinforced just as presidential elections in Africa have become increasingly common and competitive. The resolution of Cote d'Ivoire's traumatic post-election standoff did not mean the end to the country's troubles, however. If Cote d'Ivoire is to achieve stability, it must address a deeper crisis -- one that has festered for more than a decade. It stems from an explosive mix of ethnic, religious, and land rivalries that have led to a de facto division of the country since 2002. At its core, this crisis is about national identity -- what does it mean to be Ivorian in this nation of 22 million inhabitants? Cote d'Ivoire has long welcomed and benefitted from West African immigrants, who have worked the coffee and cocoa plantations in the South, generating billions of dollars in exports. Many of these estimated 8 million immigrants and their descendants have lived in the country for decades. Still, they are not recognized as citizens. This is the key issue that Cote d'Ivoire must come to terms with if it is to move from its current polarized environment to reunification and stability. If national identity is not fully addressed, other efforts taken to stabilize the country will prove futile.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA559233
Entities
People
- Thierno M. Bah
Organizations
- National Defense University