Cote d'IvoireOn 28 November 2010, the second round of the Presidential elections were held in Cote d’Ivoire. The Independent Election Commission (CEI) declared opposition leader Alassane Ouattara to be the winner. However, the Constitutional Council announced that incumbent President, Laurent Gbagbo, had received the majority of the votes and would therefore be re-elected. Both candidates declared themselves the winner and both took the Presidential oath in separate ceremonies. This set the scene for a period of violent conflict amongst supporters which eventually resulted in civil war. The African Union declared Ouattara the winner after Gbagbo refused to attend AU-backed peace talks. Gbabgo was arrested on 11 April 2011, leaving Ouattara to restore peace to Cote d’Ivoire.

This election reflection looks again at the election and the resulting conflict, before examining the events which lead to the end of the conflict and the road ahead.

Early political history marked by one-party rule

Cote d’Ivoire is a state in West Africa with a population of 21.5 million.⁽²⁾ This former French colony gained independence in 1960 and Félix Houphouët-Boigny became the first President. Under Houphouët-Boigny, the country’s economy prospered, especially through cocoa and coffee exports. However, Houphouët-Boigny’s reign was marked by one party rule with his Democratic Party of Cote d’Ivoire – Christian Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA) - having control of power. This period also saw state-controlled media, the imprisonment of critics and the repression of the opposition. Houphouët-Boigny subsequently ran unopposed and was re-elected on numerous occasions between 1965 and 1985. The first election in which he stood against an opposition candidate was in 1990 although he was also re-elected in this election. Houphouët-Boigny died in 1993.

Opposition parties boycott 1995 elections

Election Type
Presidential

Election Date
28 November 2010

Current ruling party
Ivorian Popular Front

Date of last election
April 2000

Election results
Alassane Ouattara - 54%
Laurant Gbagbo - 46%

As President of the National Assembly, Henri Konan Bédiétook up office following the death of Houphouët-Boigny. This followed a short power struggle between Bédié and the then Prime Minister Ouattara. Bédié was elected President in the 1995 elections from which Ouattara was banned on the basis of his Burkinabe heritage and which were boycotted by two opposition parties. The North of Cote d’Ivoire is home to large numbers of immigrant workers from Mali and Burkina Faso and there have often been tensions between the North and the South of the country. People from the North – such as Ouattara – are often not considered as genuinely Ivoirian and as such have historically not assumed national positions of power.

While in power, Bédié’s views on ‘Ivority’ fuelled ethnic tensions, furthering the divide between the people of the North and South. Bédié’s regime focussed on increasing stability but accusations of corruption and political repression haltered efforts. Increased ethnic tensions, high levels of corruption and dissatisfaction within the army led to a military coup d’état in 1999. Bédié was replaced by the military leader, General Robert Guéï. The period of military rule reduced the high levels of crime and corruption. Laurent Gbagbo defeated Guéï in the 2000 Presidential elections. Ouattara was once again disqualified from the Presidential race due to his mother’s Burkinabe origins.

Civil war and the agreement to hold Presidential elections

The disqualification of Ouattara from running for President for a second time sparked violent protests from his supporters. In September 2002, army officials, mostly from the North of the country, mutinied and launched attacks on a number of the major towns. Rebels took control of the North and demanded an end to the discriminatory laws against Northerners and those with foreign ancestors. The Government troops held control of the South. France and Burkina Faso also became involved in the conflict. A cease-fire was announced in October 2002 but negotiations continued until a Government of unity was created in January 2003 which had Gbagbo as its head. Relations between Gbagbo and the opposition were still fragile and by November 2004 the Government had collapsed.

Gbagbo’s term expired in October 2005 but, with no chance of holding free and fair elections, the African Union and the United Nations Security Council negotiated a deal extending Gbagbo’s term for a maximum of one year. However, by October 2006 the political tension in the country had not changed and Gbagbo’s term was extended again. In March 2007, a peace accord was signed and the rebel-backed Guillaume Soro became Prime Minister and the elections which could not take place in 2005 were then scheduled for 31 October 2010.

The 2010 Presidential election

The first round of the long-awaited Presidential election saw three candidates run for Presidential office. The incumbent President Gbagbo faced former President Bédié and former Prime Minister Ouattara who was finally allowed to take part in the election. The result of the first round was announced by the Constitutional Council - Gbago was in the lead with 38.04%, followed by Ouattara with 32.07% ⁽³⁾ and Bédié with 25.24% of the vote.⁽⁴⁾ Since no candidate received an absolute majority, a second round of elections was scheduled for 28 November 2010. This announcement came soon after oppositional parties called for a recount. The Council replied that the requests from the parties had not been received in time.⁽⁵⁾ Bédié, who was not to run in the second round run-off, announced his support for Ouattara. A Presidential spokesperson further fueled the rising tensions in the country by describing Ouattara as "the godfather of the political violence and the rebellion."⁽⁶⁾ Ouattara responded by accusing Gbagbo of dividing Ivoirians.⁽⁷⁾ These statements led to an increase of violent tension during the protests and rallies in support of both candidates.

Conflicting reports of the winner

The second round of the Presidential elections took place on 28 November 2010. An estimated 81% of the registered 5.7 million voters casted their vote.⁽⁸⁾ After polls closed, the Gbagbo camp called for the results of some Northern voting stations to be dismissed as invalid due to alleged disruption by Ouattara supporters. Both candidates accused the other party of election fraud. On 30 November the CEI planned to announce the results, when a supporter of Gbagbo and a member of the CEI tore the election results up.⁽⁹⁾

On 2 December, the President of the CEI announced that Ouattarra was the winner with 54% while Gbagbo received 46% of the votes.⁽¹⁰⁾ However, the Constitutional Council responsible for ratifying results, announced on 3 December that the CEI’s deadline to announce the results had already expired and therefore the results they had announced were invalid.⁽¹¹⁾ The President of the Constitutional Council then proclaimed Gbagbo the winner as his 51% beat Ouattara’s 49%.⁽¹²⁾ The Constitutional Council ascribed the difference in the results to the disqualification of votes from four regions in the north of the country due to claims of disruption and intimidation.⁽¹³⁾ Both candidates were sworn in as President although Ouattara was recognised as the winner by the international community, the Prime Minister and the rebel forces.⁽¹⁴⁾

The 2011 Ivorian Crisis

As the Government forces were backing Gbagbo and the rebels backed Ouattara, the South was once again pitted against the North, in a repeat of the relations played out during the civil war. Clashes between the supporters became increasingly violent and by 6 December at least 20 had been killed.⁽¹⁵⁾ The country’s borders were closed by the army and the United Nations (UN) ordered their troops stationed in Cote d’Ivoire ahead of the election to protect Ouattara and the citizens after Gbagbo demanded that all foreign troops leave the country. Pro-Ouattara protests and rallies were also violently ended by Government troops. The violence escalated by March 2011 as attacks between pro-Ouattara and pro-Gbagbo groups in the port city of Abidjan intensified. The death toll in these attacks increased dramatically.

A rocket attack killed 30 Ouattara supporters, bringing the total deaths in the crisis to 435.⁽¹⁶⁾ The rebel forces, the Republican Forces of Cote d’Ivoire (RFCI), started with a full-scale offensive in the West and soon gained control of most of the country’s towns including the capital city. Abidjan became the last stronghold for Gbagbo. By this stage, many of Gbagbo’s forces, including high-ranking officers, had defected to Ouattara’s side. On 10 March an African Union (AU) panel charged with resolving the conflict announced Ouattara as the rightful winner of the second round of elections.⁽¹⁷⁾ Gbagbo refused to attend the meeting. On 11 April, Gbagbo was arrested in a joint operation by Ouattara forces and French troops and placed under UN guard.⁽¹⁸⁾

Challenges facing Cote d’Ivoire following the resolution of the conflict

Since April 2011 Ouattara has been in charge of the journey of getting Cote d’Ivoire back onto a more stable and peaceful path. The challenges however, are far from over. The first major challenge for Ouattara is to ensure the total disarmament of the rebels and the loyalty of the national forces to the state. Only when there is no threat of renewed violence on either side can the process of reconciliation begin. The issue of responsibility of the death of civilians will also be important in the de-militarisation of the rebels and for purposes of reconciliation.

The Ivorian Crisis can be attributed, in part, to the weak democratic institutions and disregard for democratic processes throughout the country’s turbulent history. This intensified during the few years which lead up to the 2010 election. The Electoral Commission also displayed a lack of control and was unable to deliver the results of the election in a speedy, transparent and trustworthy manner. This, together with lack of a clear mandate of both the CEI and the Constitutional Council, points to the need for a reform in the electoral process and its bodies to ensure the integrity of all future elections. The lack of independence and objectivity of both the CEI and the Council has also contributed to the halt in the democratisation process.

The reconciliation of ethnic conflicts is another important focus area in ensuring a stable Cote d’Ivoire. It is clear that the North-South divide has been a key factor in the fighting factions as well as in loyalty to the presidential candidates. A stable Cote d’Ivoire is necessary in order to create a better environment where the economy can regain its former strength. With a new President and a new wave of democracy in North Africa, Cote d’Ivoire may now at least be on the path to a stable, democratic state.

NOTES:

(1) Contact Madie Schutte through Consultancy Africa Intelligence’s Election Reflection Unit ( election.reflection@consultancyafrica.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).
(2) Cote d’Ivoire Country Profile, CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov.
(3) ‘Elections in Cote d’Ivoire’, African Elections Database, http://www.electionguide.org.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Thomas Morfin, ‘Ivory Coast campaign turns aggressive in second round’, 7 November 2010, AFP, http://www.google.com.
(6) Ibid.
(7) AFP, ‘Ivory Coast campaign opens after violence between rivals’ camps’, 20 November 2010, http://www.google.com.
(8) ‘Elections in Cote d’Ivoire’, African Elections Database, http://www.electionguide.org.
(9) A24 Media, ‘Ivorian President’s backers tear up poll results amid plea from France’, http://www.a24media.com/.
(10) ‘Elections in Cote d’Ivoire’, African Elections Database, http://www.electionguide.org.
(11) David Lewis and Tim Cocks, ‘Ivory Coast seals borders after opposition wins’, 2 December 2010, Reuters, http://af.reuters.com.
(12) BBC News, ‘World leaders back Ouattara as Ivory Coast poll winner’, 4 December 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk.
(13) A24 Media, ‘Ivorian President’s backers tear up poll results amid plea from France’, http://www.a24media.com/.
(14) Ibid.
(15) Amnesty International, ‘Cote d’Ivoire security forces urged to protect civilians as tensions rise’, 6 December 2010, http://www.amnesty.org.
(16) Tim Cocks and Loucoumane Coulibaly, ‘Gbagbo forces kill at least 25 in Abidjan Attacks: UN’, 17 March 2011, Reuters, http://www.reuters.com.
(17) Andrew Harding, ‘Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo bans UN and French flights,’ BBC News, 10 March 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk.
(18) John James, ‘Ivory Coast: Gbagbo held after assault on residence’, BBC News, 11 April 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk.

Written by Madie Schutte ⁽¹⁾