Source : Sahel weather July & august 2024 

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In Côte d'Ivoire, political intrigue continues to dominate the news. Alliances are emerging, especially within the opposition, where the slogan seems to be "anything but ADO", or even allying with the "devil" to counter the outgoing president. As proof of this, the Bonoua appeal has met with a favorable response, insofar as the leader of Générations et Peuples Solidaires has decided, through a communiqué issued on August 9, to join the dynamic launched by Gbagbo for unity and rallying within the opposition. Indeed, Guillaume Soro is ready to "engage in discussions to define the modalities of a sincere collaboration with the African Peoples' Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PPA-CI) as well as with all the political forces of the opposition" to, he says, achieve "transparent and free elections" (Communiqué). The aim of this union within the opposition is to put an end to Alassane Ouattara's reign. As things stand, these two key opposition figures remain ineligible for the forthcoming presidential election. The two main opposition leaders, despite their antagonisms, have decided to unite to demand a reform of the electoral code. Indeed, a joint press conference with civil society was organized on August 9 to unite and demand a reform of the electoral system before the 2025 presidential elections. The economy is taking off, but poverty continues to gain ground. That's why the fight against poverty is one of the main themes of the candidates' statements, along with education, health and agriculture, among others.

The security situation has been front and center in the media over the last two months. The authorities seem to be taking on board this nagging problem, which continues to worry the population, particularly in the North. Addressing the Ivorian people's representatives at their congress last June, the President of the Republic was keen to point out that the security index had fallen from 6.8 in 2012 to 1.2 in 2024, reflecting a considerable advance "despite the difficult security situation in the sub-region". He then added, "We will spare no effort to ensure that Côte d'Ivoire continues to remain a land of peace, hospitality and security for all its daughters and sons, and for all the inhabitants of our beautiful country; for without peace, there can be no sustainable development" (ADO speech to parliament, June 18, 2024).

With regard to the jihadist threat, the country's authorities are managing security emergencies relating to the persistent threat in the north, as well as the reception of refugees from Burkina Faso. To this end, they have decided to reinforce their legal arsenal by setting up a new anti-terrorist section in Abidjan. According to the government spokesman, this legal mechanism "aims to deal with acts of terrorism, as well as crimes directly linked to this threat and those relating to organized crime". This initiative comes at a time of rising tension between Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso. This is due to Captain Traoré's accusation of a plot orchestrated from Abidjan and Cotonou. In July, Côte d'Ivoire turned back at least 173 exiles from Burkina Faso to the north of the country, where migratory flows have been increasing recently.

In terms of public health, as of August 20, 28 cases of monkeypox had been recorded by the INHP. According to health sources, the situation is not alarming at the moment. This epidemic is wreaking havoc, particularly in Africa, where cases have been recorded in at least 13 countries.