Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) 

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Latest news on Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire): Ouattara, elections, cocoa, cashews, economy, Abidjan, security, and West Africa politics.

Ivory Coast — officially Côte d'Ivoire — is the largest economy in francophone West Africa and the world's biggest producer of cocoa and cashew nuts. Home to around 34 million people and anchored by the commercial capital Abidjan, it has become one of Africa's most watched economies, with IMF projections pointing to GDP growth of around 6% annually. The country's prosperity rests on agriculture, but a government push to industrialise and process more of its own raw materials is reshaping its economic profile.

The October 2025 presidential election was the dominant political event of recent years. President Alassane Ouattara, in power since 2011, won a fourth term with over 90% of the vote after a constitutional change he enacted in 2016 was used to reset his term count. Critics, including opposition parties, civil society groups and international observers, condemned the contest as deeply flawed, with leading rivals — former Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam of the PDCI and ex-president Laurent Gbagbo of PPA-CI — barred from standing on legal grounds widely seen as politically motivated.

Security is an increasingly urgent concern. Jihadist groups operating in the Sahel have expanded southward toward the Gulf of Guinea, raising alarm about Ivory Coast's northern border regions. The country also closed the last French military base on its soil in early 2025, part of a continent-wide shift away from French military presence, while retaining a smaller advisory and training relationship with Paris. The closure reflected both domestic political pressure and a broader reassertion of sovereignty across West Africa.

Cocoa sits at the heart of Ivorian society and its global significance. Ivory Coast and neighbouring Ghana together supply roughly 60% of the world's cocoa, and the sector supports millions of smallholder farming families. Long-standing concerns about child labour and deforestation have intensified scrutiny from international buyers, and the EU's deforestation regulation — requiring traceable, deforestation-free supply chains — is adding new compliance pressures. The government has pushed for greater domestic processing, aiming to add more value before export rather than shipping raw beans.

Ivory Coast's modern history has been scarred by political violence. Tensions over citizenship and belonging — crystallised in the concept of "Ivoirité" — contributed to a civil war from 2002 to 2011, which divided the country between a rebel-held north and a government-controlled south. The post-election crisis of 2010–11, when Gbagbo refused to accept defeat, left thousands dead and drew French and UN military intervention. Those fault lines — ethnic, regional, and between ruling party and opposition — remain present beneath the surface of politics today.

Our NewsNow feed on Ivory Coast brings together continuous coverage from across the media landscape, tracking political developments in Abidjan, economic data, cocoa market movements, regional security, and the country's evolving role within ECOWAS and the wider West African region. Whether you follow Ivorian affairs for business, policy, or general interest, this feed keeps you informed as the story develops.