A Discussion with the President-elect of Côte d'Ivoire (via Teleconference)

The CSIS Africa Program, in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute and the Open Society Foundation, hosted:

A discussion with the President-elect of Cote d'Ivoire
Alassane Ouattara

Moderated by:

Jennifer Cooke
Director, CSIS Africa Program

Followed by a panel discussion with:

Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh
Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and West Africa
National Democratic Institute

Akwe Amosu
Director of African Advocacy
Open Society Foundation

The political crisis in Cote d’Ivoire continues despite intense international efforts to negotiate a solution.  The winner of November’s presidential election, Alassane Ouattara, has been prevented from taking office by the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo.  He, along with his government-in-waiting, is confined to Abidjan’s Golf Hotel, protected by a cordon of UN peacekeepers and effectively cut off from the outside world.  CSIS established a telephone link with President Ouattara, which allowed him to address a public audience in the United States for the first time since the election standoff began.  His comments were followed by a panel discussion including Akwe Amosu, Senior Policy Analyst for Africa at the Open Society Foundation, and Chris Fomunyoh, Senior Associate for Africa at the National Democratic Institute (NDI).