Well this chapter was most definitely in need of an update by the time the book was published. . .
Since we finished the Côte d’Ivoire chapter in the aftermath of the 2010 elections, the country has been at times close to meltdown as forces loyal to the incumbent president, the southerner Laurent Gbagbo, fought for his claim to hold onto the presidency, despite the internationally acknowledged winner being the northerner Alassane Ouattara. After months of standoffs, fighting between the two sides and economic collapse, Gbagbo was arrested by Ouattara’s troops in April 2011. After his investiture on 21 May, President Ouattara is planning to form a unity government.*
All of this is a great pity, as Côte d’Ivoire undoubtedly has some of the most vibrant culture, most verdant landscapes and most exploration-worthy natural areas in West Africa, and while the infrastructure is tatty, it’s still largely there. For now the country can really only be recommended for adventurous souls. Watch this space. . .
(continued on p.261)
* This sounds a bit like an extract from Mr Ouattara’s CV. You can keep up with his doings if you’re interested as he’s one of the few African presidents to maintain a personal twitter feed, at @adosolutions (ADO being his nickname), including all the usual stuff, such as “J’ai publié 5 photos sur Facebook, dans l’album. . .”
Links we like
Abidjan.net Useful portal.
Côte d’Ivoire Tourisme Clunky tourist board site.
Friends of Côte d’Ivoire Community site for returned Peace Corps volunteers and US-based Ivoirians
Fraternité Matin FratMat is the paper owned by the ruling coalition.
This page last edited 9 June 2011 © Richard Trillo and Emma Gregg
First-Time Africa: know before you go 