Ivory Coast’s President Ouattara to meet predecessor for first time since power struggle

In the last months of his rule from 2000 to 2011, Laurent Gbagbo rejected defeat by Alassane Ouattara in a presidential ballot.

CAPE TOWN, July 27 (ANA) – Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara is set to meet his predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, on Tuesday at the Presidential Palace for the first time since a power struggle between the two leaders took place over 10 years ago.

According to international media reports on Monday, this will be their first meeting since forces loyal to the two men fought in a post-election conflict 10 years ago which saw 3,000 civilians killed.

In the last months of his rule from 2000 to 2011, Gbagbo rejected defeat by Ouattara in a presidential ballot.

According to Modern Ghana, after he was ousted, Gbagbo was flown to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.

Gbagbo recently returned after the International Criminal Court (ICC) acquitted him on all charges of crimes against humanity.

The ICC on April 1 delivered its judgment on the prosecutor’s appeal against a 2019 decision that had acquitted Gbagbo and his co-accused Charles Blé Goudé on all charges of crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Ivory Coast in 2010 and 2011.

According to Deutsche Welle, despite uneasiness and raised tensions in the West African country, there seems to be a sense of optimism among many citizens that reconciliation is on the cards.

News broadcaster Al Jazeera reported that international observers will be keeping a close eye on Tuesday’s meeting for signs of whether the two former rivals have buried the hatchet.

Gbagbo’s spokesperson Justin Katinan Kone informed the public not to make too much of the meeting, adding that it is a courtesy visit to his elder, reported Modern Ghana.

“If it helps to ease the political atmosphere, so much the better,” said Kone.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher