Five Things to Know About Ivory Coast as It Goes to Polls

AFP/APP

Paris: The Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer and a centre of growth and stability in West Africa, goes to the polls on Saturday with President Alassane Ouattara expected to win a fourth term.

Here are five things to know about the former French colony:

1. From Stability to Crisis

Ivory Coast, bordered by the Atlantic, gained independence from France in 1960.

It experienced three decades of stability and prosperity under its first president, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who only introduced a multi-party system in 1990.

After his death in 1993, unity began to unravel. In 1999, an army mutiny was followed by a coup — the country’s first.

Then in 2002, a military uprising effectively split the country in two, with rebels controlling the north and the army holding the south.

In 2011, Alassane Ouattara, a US-trained economist, came to power and has dominated political life since, even as other francophone African nations have faced coups.

However, the country has not been free from political violence. Ouattara’s rival Laurent Gbagbo, barred from this year’s vote, contested the 2010 election results, leading to violence that killed around 3,000 people.

Post-election unrest in 2020 also claimed at least 85 lives.

Tensions have again risen in recent weeks, with one person reportedly killed during protests against Ouattara’s potential fourth term.

2. King Cacao

Ivory Coast is one of Africa’s most dynamic economies.

Home to nearly 32 million people, it has maintained one of the fastest growth rates in sub-Saharan Africa for more than a decade, according to the World Bank.

The country is the world’s leading producer of cacao, the raw material for cocoa, and also exports cashew nuts while developing a thriving oil industry.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects economic growth of 6.4 percent this year and next, following six percent in 2024, largely driven by the oil and gas sectors.

The government aims to cut poverty to below 20 percent by 2030, down from 37.5 percent in 2021, according to the national statistics office.

3. Massive Deforestation

As cacao plantations have expanded, Ivory Coast has lost about 90 percent of its forests over the past six decades, according to a 2021 survey.

Poaching and habitat destruction have driven many large mammals to near extinction.

The report highlighted the urgent need to protect species such as chimpanzees, buffaloes, and elephants — the latter being national symbols.

The elephant population has declined by half over the past 30 years and now numbers fewer than 500.

4. Privileged Relations with France

Ivory Coast has remained closely aligned with France, maintaining strong political and economic ties despite a decade-long strain in relations during the 2000s.

It has stayed within France’s sphere of influence, even as neighbouring Sahel countries — including Mali and Burkina Faso — have turned away from the former colonial power under military rule.

5. Land of Reggae and Dance

Ivory Coast is famous for its vibrant music scene, particularly reggae, with global icons such as Alpha Blondy and Tiken Jah Fakoly.

The country also gave the world the popular dance music genres zouglou and coupé-décalé.

In recent years, a new generation of Ivorian artists — including rappers Didi B and KS Bloom — has gained international fame through digital platforms and streaming services.