Per la Pau / Peace in Progress

Albert Caramés

A year after the presidential elections, Côte d'Ivoire once again faces elections, in which the representatives in the country's National Assembly will be chosen. If someone who has not followed the news from this African country reads the last few sentences, they would give the impression of relative stability. However, going into details about the last few months involves a thorough analysis of the causes (short-term and long-term) and the developments in the post-election crisis (with 3,000 deaths and more than half a million displaced people) and the challenges for the present and future: reform towards a democratic and civilian control of the security system, the functioning of a representative chamber by holding the legislative elections mentioned above, and the establishment of foundations for a better and stronger social cohesion by means of a process of reconciliation, among others.

For this reason, this issue of Per la Pau / Peace in Progress aims to highlight this reflection on the causes of the turbulent situation that Côte d'Ivoire has experienced, and the prospects for avoiding a repetition of it. In more specific terms, the causes of the post-election crisis (Gilles Yabi), the role of the AU's mediation (Neus Ramis) and the challenges involved in reforming the armed forces (Azoumana Ouattara) and the new government of Alassane Ouattara (Rafael Grasa) are the subjects chosen for this reflection, although there are many more possible subjects for discussion, such as the humanitarian situation and the political outlook, among many others. As a complement, this issue also includes an interview with Sophie da Camara, director of the Division of the Security Sector Reform Division (RSS) and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) of the United Nations Mission in the country (UNOCI) and a list of sources providing further information on the situation.