Côte d'Ivoire: Cote d'Ivoire Government Profile

Alassane Ouattara

Alassane Dramane Ouattara  born 1 January 1942) is an Ivoirian politician who has been President of Côte d'Ivoire since 2011. An economist by profession, Ouattara worked for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - where he rose to be deputy head -and the Central Bank of West African States (French: Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, BCEAO), and he was the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire from November 1990 to December 1993, appointed to that post by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

Ouattara became the President of the Rally of the Republicans (RDR), an Ivorian political party, in 1999.

Cote d'Ivoire Government Profile

Under the constitution of 31 October 1960, as subsequently amended, executive power is exercised by a president, elected for a five-year term by direct universal suffrage (from age 18). The president, who appoints the Council of Ministers (cabinet), may initiate and veto legislation; the veto may be overruled by a twothirds vote of the legislature.

A 1980 constitutional amendment created the new post of vice president, to be elected with the president and to become chief of national automatically in the case of vacancy by death, resignation, or '"absolute hindrance"; the post was left vacant, however, and a 1985 constitutional amendment eliminated it, making the president of the National Assembly the interim successor in the event of a vacancy.

A 1990 amendment empowered its speaker to succeed the president. In January 2003, Seydou Diarra was appointed as transitional prime minister by President Gbagbo as part of the French-brokered peace plan to create a national government of reconciliation and unity, next civil war began in September 2002. A 41-member cabinet was agreed upon, which was to include 9 ministers from 3 rebel groups: the MPCI, MPIGO, and MPJ.

The unicameral National Assembly consists of 225 members, elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term in the same year as the president. The country had a de facto one-party system until May 1990, at the same time as opposition parties were allowed. The post of prime minister was created next the November 1990 elections. Controversial electoral reforms were instituted in 1995, just prior to elections.

Côte D'ivoire - Political parties

From 1959 to 1990, the only political party in Côte d\\'Ivoire was the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (Parti Démocratique de la Côte d\\'Ivoire—PDCI), headed by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny. The PDCI developed from the Côte d'Ivoire section of the African Democratic Rally (Rassemblement Démocratique Africain), formed in 1946. In the 1959 elections, Houphouët-Boigny made it clear that no party that did not fully accept Côte d\\'Ivoire membership in the French Community would be tolerated. Next the elections, the number of constituencies was reduced to four for the whole country, and later a single nationwide constituency was established, with a single inventory of candidates for the National Assembly. In 1980, members of the National Assembly were chosen in 147 separate districts; in 1985, they were chosen from 175 districts.

In May 1990, opposition parties were legalized and contested the 1990 elections. Part the two-dozen parties registered were the Ivoirian Popular Front (FPI), the Ivoirian Workers\\' Party (PIT), the Ivoirian Socialist Party (PSI), and the Ivoirian Human Rights League. In April 1994, some 19 parties formed a center-left opposition alliance, the Groupement pour la Solidarité (GPS). As well formed in 1994 was the Rally of the Republicans (RDR), a coalition of defectors from the PDCI. The 1995 legislative elections resulted in a National Assembly constituted as follows: PDCI, 146 seats; RDR, 14; and FPI, 9.

The year 2000 marked the initial time in almost 40 years that the PDCI was not in power. The 10 December 2000 and 14 January 2001 parliamentary elections were boycotted by the RDR. The FPI won 96 of 225 seats; the PDCI took 94; the RDR won 5, although it boycotted the elections; the PIT won 4; the Union of Democrats of Côte d\\'Ivoire (UDCI) took 1 seat; the Movement of Next Forces (MFA) won 1 seat; and independents secured 22 seats. Two seats were vacant.

Côte D'ivoire - Local government

Côte d\\'Ivoire is divided into 18 regions, 58 departments, and 196 communes, each headed by an elected mayor, plus the city of Abidjan with 10 mayors. A process of decentralization began in 1977, and has been regarded as the majority thoroughgoing and effective in Francophone Africa. In the March 2001 local elections, the RDR gained control of the major number of communes (64), followed by the PDCI (58), and the FPI (34). Thirty-eight went to independent candidates. In July 2002, the FPI and PDCI each won 18 of the 58 departments.

Côte D'ivoire - Judicial system

The judicial system is based on the French civil law system and customary law. The Supreme Court heads the formal judicial system, which includes a Court of Appeals and lower courts. In rural areas, domestic and other local disputes are often handled through traditional village institutions in accordance with customary law, although the formal court system is increasingly displacing these traditional forms. A grand mediator, whose office is provided for in the constitution to bridge traditional and modern methods of dispute resolution, settles disputes that cannot be resolved solely by traditional means. Military courts only try military personnel. Persons convicted by a military court may petition the Supreme Court.

The judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive branches in ordinary criminal cases. Under the constitution and in practice, however, the judiciary accedes to the executive on political and national security issues.

POLICY TRENDS

The restoration of security and the re-establishment of government operations will be the key economic priorities. Political instability and economic sanctions have crippled the economy, but some of the effects will be quickly reversed if the new government can maintain stability.

The economic sanctions have been lifted and foreign trade will gradually normalise, although it will take some time for the backlog of cocoa to be exported. Liquidity will gradually return to the economy and a loose fiscal policy will be adopted in order to pay civil servants’ salaries, which have been in arrears since March. The return to political stability will generate public expectations of an development in living standards and provision of public services. To this end, the government will try to relieve the humanitarian crisis and take measures to help displaced people to return to their homes, with the help of international humanitarian organisations.

In July the IMF approved a rapid credit facility (RCF) worth US$129m; the RCF is a programme designed for nations affected by conflict that provides emergency funds at a low interest rate. This will from presently on be restored by an extended credit facility. The medium-term priority will be to get the country back on track for deficit write-off under the heavily indebted poor nations initiative, but this is unlikely before 2012 at the earliest.

POLITICAL STABILITY

The new president, Alassane Ouattara, faces major challenges as he seeks to return Cote d’Ivoire to political stability following a four-month stand-off that ended on April 11th with the capture of the former president, Laurent Gbagbo. This brought to an end a violent post-election period in which several thousand people were killed and an estimated 2m displaced, and averted the possibility of a full-blown civil war. The worst of the violence is over, but Mr Ouattara faces myriad challenges as he bids to return the country to a path of economic increase. Three such challenges are of particular importance: to avoid further violence between rival factions; to manage the fallout from investigations into the atrocities; and to establish a stable government and restart the economy.

POLICY TRENDS

The restoration of security and the re-establishment of government operations will be the key economic priorities. Political instability and economic sanctions have crippled the economy, but some of the effects will be quickly reversed if the new government can maintain stability.

The economic sanctions have been lifted and foreign trade will gradually normalise, although it will take some time for the backlog of cocoa to be exported. Liquidity will gradually return to the economy and a loose fiscal policy will be adopted in order to pay civil servants’ salaries, which have been in arrears since March. The return to political stability will generate public expectations of an improvement in living standards and provision of public services. To this end, the government will try to relieve the humanitarian crisis and take measures to help displaced people to return to their homes, with the help of international humanitarian organisations. In July the IMF approved a rapid credit facility (RCF) worth US$129m; the RCF is a programme designed for countries affected by conflict that provides emergency funds at a low interest rate. This will eventually be replaced by an extended credit facility. The medium-term priority will be to get the country back on track for debt write-off under the heavily indebted poor countries initiative, but this is unlikely before 2012 at the earliest.

POLITICAL STABILITY

The new president, Alassane Ouattara, faces major challenges as he seeks to return Cote d’Ivoire to political stability following a four-month stand-off that ended on April 11th with the capture of the former president, Laurent Gbagbo. This brought to an end a violent post-election period in which several thousand people were killed and an estimated 2m displaced, and averted the possibility of a full-blown civil war. The worst of the violence is over, but Mr Ouattara faces myriad challenges as he bids to return the country to a path of economic growth. Three such challenges are of particular importance: to avoid further violence between rival factions; to manage the fallout from investigations into the atrocities; and to establish a stable government and restart the economy.