Source : Sahel weather October 2024 

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Last month, Abidjan formally denied the Burkinabe authorities' accusations of a desire to destabilize their country. As a reminder, the military authorities had openly accused Côte d'Ivoire of participating in a campaign to destabilize their country. Following the Council of Ministers meeting at the end of September, government spokesman Amadou Coulibaly reassured the population: “Côte d'Ivoire is a land of hospitality, a land of welcome (...). It has no intention of doing so, since, in any case, it is here that all countries experiencing difficulties see their nationals come” (press release) The north of Côte d'Ivoire recently welcomed a number of refugees from Burkina Faso, notably the Peuls. There are more than 6,000 of them, and they have left their belongings and livestock behind to settle in accommodation sites. According to one of them, “(...) We have been well received, we feel good here”. This part of Côte d'Ivoire has become a “resettlement site” for migrants who left Burkina Faso for security reasons. This calls for greater vigilance, particularly in the fight against terrorism. As a reminder, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Côte d'Ivoire Embassy in Ouagadougou was recalled by the Director of Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, without the Ivorian authorities being informed.

Gbagbo and the AES....

A number of political events also marked the news in Côte d'Ivoire during the month of October. The possibility of the outgoing President standing for re-election continues to cause controversy among observers and the political class. According to Laurent Gbagbo, the current President has blatantly violated the Constitution by seeking a fourth term. He called it a “horror”, given that the country's laws limit the number of terms to two. Despite his confused position on whether or not to participate, Gbagbo is still determined to play a certain role in the forthcoming presidential elections, by standing as a candidate like the others. Among other things, he promises to improve relations between Côte d'Ivoire and the ESA if he is promoted to the country's head of state. He is thus positioning himself as a candidate who supports the military in Ouagadougou, despite the accusations of destabilization levelled at Houphouët's country. Furthermore, one of his relatives has been kidnapped by unidentified individuals. According to a press release from the Parti des Peuples Africains - Côte d'Ivoire (PPA-CI), Charles Rodel Dosso was kidnapped from his home in front of his family. They accused the current regime of using “dictatorial drift” to muzzle the opposition since its accession to the supreme magistracy.

Many observers and members of civil society continue to call for peace and calm to ensure peaceful elections. Meanwhile, political parties are urging people to register en masse for the elections, to ensure a high turnout.  In Côte d'Ivoire in October, the figures for voter registration were worrying: 1 in 3 people were not registered, and 4 million people of voting age were not on the electoral roll. This is what prompted political players and members of civil society to call for an extension of the deadline. On the ground, however, there was no great rush, which prompted the authorities to extend the deadline to November 17. This measure is designed to encourage Ivorians to register en masse. 

Dialogue and suspicion...

At the same time, rivalries and internal upheavals are noted on both sides. On the side of the government, Alassane Dramane Ouattara (ADO) has instructed his high representative to initiate mediation within the party in the regions. The aim of this mission is to put an end to internal quarrels and maintain cohesion between militants. On the opposition side too, mediation missions have been launched to reconcile positions. Indeed, on October 3, elected representatives of the Parti Démocratique de Côte d'Ivoire organized a lunch for the two main protagonists - Tidjane Thiam and Jean-Louis Billon - to reconcile. The aim of the meeting was to convince the former Ivorian Trade Minister to abandon his bid to run in the next presidential election. At the same time, points of contention were raised between the opposition and the Independent Electoral Commission. The October 2 meeting on the revision of the electoral roll, attended by the political class and the opposition, led to heated debates. Many observers do not trust the Independent Electoral Commission to organize free and transparent elections.

Meanwhile, a problem that rocked the University caught the attention of the authorities during the month. On October 30, the government issued a decree to dissolve student union associations following the scuffles that took place on university premises, with all the attendant damage. In fact, a raid on the site resulted in the seizure of a large arsenal of edged weapons that had been stockpiled for the purpose of “committing crimes and spreading disorder” within the campus and even off-campus. This situation is worrying people in this pre-electoral period, where violence is increasingly noted.