[size=14pt]West African chiefs plan force to oust Laurent Gbabgo from Ivory Coast[/size]
From: AFP December 30, 2010 4:06AM
WEST African defence chiefs planned for a possible military intervention in Ivory Coast after regional leaders failed to persuade strongman Laurent Gbabgo to cede power.

After three regional heads of state wrapped up a mission to the troubled nation yesterday, it emerged that armed forces chiefs from across the troubled region were meeting in Nigeria to draw up their strategy for a troop deployment.

A senior diplomat said the meeting in the Nigerian capital Abuja was about "the military planning ,  and the logistics" of any eventual operation.

Abdel-Fatau Musah, director for political affairs and external relations for the 15-member Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) regional bloc, said the talks had begun on Tuesday and was expected to finish later in the day.

Nigeria's defence spokesman, Colonel Mohammed Yerimah, confirmed the meeting was underway but would not give details.

The talks came as the leaders who went to Ivory Coast on Tuesday admitted they had failed to convince Gbabgo to make way for his rival Alassane Ouattara, the internationally-recognised winner of last month's presidential election.

Presidents Boni Yayi of Benin, Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone and Pedro Pires of Cape Verde had gone to Abidjan to deliver Gbagbo an ultimatum: cede power or face the prospect of an intervention by ECOWAS forces.

The troika then flew on to Abuja to brief Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, chairman of ECOWAS and leader of the region's military powerhouse.

The Nigerian president acknowledged the envoys had not broken the deadlock but said they would return on January 3.

"We are still talking," he told reporters after meeting Koroma and Pires. "People are negotiating. We are discussing. That is why they are going back."

Pires had earlier said that a return to Ivory Coast was necessary.

His office said the "Ivorian parties" had asked for "time to reflect in order to find a viable way to conclude the electoral process, which is the only way to promote durable peace and stability in this West African country."

Jorge Borges, Cape Verde's foreign affairs secretary, said the focus of regional efforts was to find a mediated solution and that talk of a military intervention had been put on the backburner.

"This initial mediation has helped to establish a bridge to dialogue between the camps, and we are no longer talking of military intervention by ECOWAS which seems, thankfully, to have been set aside for the moment," he told AFP.

However Ouattara's spokesman Patrick Achi said that the would-be president had told the envoys his status as head of state is "non-negotiable" and asked them to "return as soon as possible".

Both Gbagbo and Ouattara claim to have won Ivory Coast's November 28 poll run-off, but only the latter has been recognised as president by the world community, including ECOWAS and the United Nations.

Gbagbo's forces dominate the south of the country, home to the world's largest cocoa-exporting industry and the commercial capital Abidjan, while Ouattara's shadow government is blockaded inside its hotel headquarters.

There is no sign of the defiant incumbent loosening his grip. His supporters have begun harassing United Nations peacekeepers and his regime has issued veiled threats against West African migrants living in Ivory Coast.

The country is home to millions of foreign workers, drawn to what is still a major economic hub of West Africa to work in huge cocoa plantations, major ports and a small but promising oil production sector.

Even before the poll, the country was split in two between the rebel-held north and Gbagbo's southern strongholds, and loyalist security forces hold Abidjan in an iron grip.

His troops have cornered Ouattara's shadow government in his former campaign headquarters, a luxury golf resort on the outskirts of the city protected by a cordon of 800 UN peacekeepers and supplied by helicopter.

Gbagbo has ordered French and UN troops to leave Ivory Coast, a demand they have rejected, insisting they recognise only Ouattara's rule, and around the city the Blue Helmets are under increasing pressure.

On Tuesday a Bangladeshi soldier was wounded by a machete blow during a mob attack and a UN truck burnt out by pro-Gbagbo demonstrators.

The United Nations estimates that at least 173 people have been killed in post-election violence, many dragged from their homes at night by pro-Gbagbo forces, and that more than 19,000 refugees have fled the country.


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/west-african-chiefs-plan-force-to-oust-laurent-gbabgo-from-ivory-coast/story-e6frfku0-1225978404779#ixzz19WRxTs6B

War is imminent as usual. Not new in African affairs.

Lets see how this plays out. Gbagbo should step down in my opinion. Not as a result of being labeled a weakling but compassion to his people who have suffered enough.

He didn'tdo anything with the power when he held it. Why stay ony if not as a show of ego and not principle

morpheus24:

War is imminent as usual. Not new in African affairs.

Lets see how this plays out. Gbagbo should step down in my opinion. Not as a result of being labeled a weakling but compassion to his people who have suffered enough.

He didn'tdo anything with the power when he held it. Why stay ony if not as a show of ego and not principle

I really think you coat Gbagbo in words that are too nice and address him like he has some honour. You are too kind.
In my opinion, any African that condemns half of their country as second class citizens in an apartheid concept, is no better than a slave trader and deserves to scunned, spat on and treated like dirt.

Gbagbo waded through blood to get where he is and is an example of the sort of despot that has brought repeated shame to Africa. He falls in the same category as Bokassa, Idi Amin and Mobutu Sese Seko.

Beaf:

I really think you coat Gbagbo in words that are too nice and address him like he has some honour. You are too kind.
In my opinion, any African that condemns half of their country as second class citizens in an apartheid concept, is no better than a slave trader and deserves to scunned, spat on and treated like dirt.

Gbagbo waded through blood to get where he is and is an example of the sort of despot that has brought repeated shame to Africa. He falls in the same category as Bokassa, Idi Amin and Mobutu Sese Seko.

Mobutu!!

Be nice. Gbagbo and his cronies are a product of the Ivorite. Its not unusual since prosperity brought in a huge influx of Immigrants into ivory coast during Felix Houphouet's regime catapulting non indigenes number to greater than 25% of the population.

The reality on the ground now is he and his cronies have no vision for their country cept how to divie what is left of their natural resources.

Quattara is a product and cadet of Houphouet's regime which was extremly friendly with the French and fosterd more liberal economic activity western style. laurent is more of a socialit-trade unionist type. Regardless he has no sustainable vision for the country and I have never seen an y inclination to convince me of the fact.

Therefore based on this it is time for him to move along.

The attack on the Nigerian Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire is a reaction to the action taken by ECOWAS, whose chairman is President, Goodluck Jonathan. Be ready to receive 2 Millions Nigerian refugees from Ivory Coast.

Horus:

The attack on the Nigerian Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire is a reaction to the action taken by ECOWAS, whose chairman is President, Goodluck Jonathan. Be ready to receive 2 Millions Nigerian refugees from Ivory Coast.

Hey we are 150 million i don't think an additional 2 to 5 million will break us do you?

morpheus24:

Hey we are 150 million i don't think an additional 2 to 5 million will break us do you?

Nobody want to arm or break nigeria but your "house negro" president (Goodluck) have to care about the 2 Millions nigerians in Ivory Coast by providing food and job for them when they will come back to nigeria. At the moment he dont even think about their wellbeing.

Horus:

Nobody want to arm or break nigeria but your "house negro" president (Goodluck) have to care about the 2 Millions nigerians in Ivory Coast by providing food and job for them when they will come back to nigeria. At the moment he dont even think about their wellbeing.

Point 1: Irrelevant statement on "house negro". Don't deviate from the point at hand to your obvious obsession on Race inequalities.

Point 2: what progressive move has laurent Gbagbo instituted for his people since his last 10 bloody years in office. You seem to know everything else about ivory coast but cannot substantiate any visible reference to the question. Arguement for argementative sake,Horus

[QUOTE]Point 1: Irrelevant statement on "house negro". Don't deviate from the point at hand to your obvious obsession on Race inequalities[/QUOTE]
Race inequalities? what is that? so you believe that race inequalities exist? not me; we are all equal.
Now if you believe that a statment is irrelevant, so what? that change nothing to the fact that Goodluck Jonathan is a "house Negro" eager to please his white master. Take it the way you want but the fact dont care about what you think.

Point 2: what progressive move has laurent Gbagbo instituted for his people since his last 10 bloody years in office. You seem to know everything else about ivory coast but cannot substantiate any visible reference to the question. Arguement for argementative sake,Horus

In 10 year in power there was many obstacle for him to work properly. Everybody in Cote d'Ivoire know that in 2002 Alassane Ouattara after his failed coup d'Etat made the following statment: I will make this country Ungovernable. And this is exactly what he did. It was not easy for Gbagbo to work in 10 years when the rebels own 60% of the country and the natural ressouces. The government didnt have the power to collect taxes coming from the north under rebels control. You have to agree that this was not easy for Gbagbo under such conditions to run the country. He control only 40% of the country, even today.

Horus:

Race inequalities? what is that? so you believe that race inequalities exist? not me; we are all equal.
Now if you believe that a statment is irrelevant, so what? that change nothing to the fact that Goodluck Jonathan is a "house Negro" eager to please his white master. Take it the way you want but the fact dont care about what you think.

Somebody who believes in equality and uses the word "negro". Shows how smart you are.

Horus:


In 10 year in power there was many obstacle for him to work properly. Everybody in Cote d'Ivoire know that in 2002 Alassane Ouattara after his failed coup d'Etat made the following statment: I will make this country Ungovernable. And this is exactly what he did. It was not easy for Gbagbo to work in 10 years when the rebels own 60% of the country and the natural ressouces. The government didnt have the power to collect taxes coming from the north under rebels control. You have to agree that this was not easy for Gbagbo under such conditions to run the country. He control only 40% of the country, even today.

what did he do for th 40% of the country he controlled. You don't necessary need natural resources to build a country. Oh wait i guess FRance was blokcing all FDI into the country cause they want him to fail in his government right. What about other sectors he could have worked at Education, Agriculture,Manufacturing. What?

Somebody who believes in equality and uses the word "negro". Shows how smart you are.

The 2 words used was "House Negro" and you know what it mean, in fact it is Goodluck Jonathan's nickname in Ivory Coast since he decided to attack Cote d'ivoire.

what did he do for th 40% of the country he controlled. You don't necessary need natural resources to build a country. Oh wait i guess FRance was blokcing all FDI into the country cause they want him to fail in his government right.  What about other sectors he could have worked at Education, Agriculture,Manufacturing. What?

Yes he did the best of his ability to work on other sectors and he did it well even he have to spend more in security to protect the civilian population from the rebels.
Now can you answer the following question?:
Which article of the UN or international law say that you have to invade militarly a country if  there is a problem in the Presidential election of this country?

Horus:

Yes he did the best of his ability to work on other sectors and he did it well even he have to spend more in security to protect the civilian population from the rebels.

Right by allowing his cabinet access to embezzle money and givie foreign entities the licence to dump toxic refuse in the the ivory coast.

Horus:

Which article of the UN or international law say that you have to invade militarly a country if there is a problem in the Presidential election of this country?

There is no article on UN INVASION of any soverign country as you word it. There are articles that allow for military interventions and neutral peace keeping efforts. You need to ask yourself when the UN decided to Invade Ivory coast.

You can read can't you go to the Ecowas website and educate yourself on Articles related to ECOMOG and their functions. Ivory coast signed up for the treaty. They could have refused and stayed out of ECOWAS and run their own affairs.

Right by allowing his cabinet access to embezzle money and givie foreign entities the licence to dump toxic refuse in the the ivory coast.

Right!,who are the corupts rebels inside his cabinet? You should know that Guillaume Soro is a rebel. Now who allowed Shell to dump the hazardous waste in Niger Delta, is it Gbagbo?. Clean your own house first before shouting that other people's houses are dirty.

There is no article on UN INVASION of any soverign country as you word it. There are articles that allow for military interventions and neutral peace keeping efforts. You need to ask yourself when the UN decided to Invade Ivory coast.

You can read can't you go to the Ecowas website and educate yourself on Articles related to ECOMOG and their functions. Ivory coast signed up for the treaty. They could have refused and stayed out of ECOWAS and run their own affairs.

And how does this give the right to Nigeria to invade Ivory Coast just because the result of a presidential election do not suit the west?. Is Nigeria a role model when it come to presidential election? . Just wait for the next Nigerian Presidential "419" Election. Again, clean your own house first before shouting that other people's houses are dirty.

Horus:

And how does this give the right to Nigeria to invade Ivory Coast just because the result of a presidential election do not suit the west?. Is Nigeria a role model when it come to presidential election? . Just wait for the next Nigerian Presidential "419" Election. Again, clean your own house first before shouting that other people's houses are dirty.

Its called ECOMOG not Nigeria you nitwitt. The agreement is reached by the governing bodies and all countries within the organization you illiterate. Stop propagating propaganda.
The only reason Nigeria is at the forefront is because we have the largest standing army in West africa because of population size and better logistical capacity.

its people like you who make inflammatory remarks to stare emotional responses without using your ntellect. Put things in their proper context using your cerebral cortex for once.

Yes Goodluck is definitely a house negro, the worst we have ever seen so i wasn't surprised when he was quoted telling the American ambassador that he lacked experience. who does that?

On the issue with Ivory Coast, i think we should leave them to sort this out themselves.

Hitler was left to sort things out. . . 6 million Jews, several invasions and plenty gas chambers later, it turned out to be a bad idea.

Call him a HN all you want, but he is doing exactly what most in his position would do.

Hitler was left to sort things out.  .   .  6 million Jews, several invasions and plenty gas chambers later, it turned out to be a bad idea.

Well said! Do I need to remind Gbagbo apologists that Rwanda was also left to sort things out? I say Ecomog should smoke Gbagbo out

morpheus24:

Its called ECOMOG not Nigeria you nitwitt. The agreement is reached by the governing bodies and all countries within the organization you illiterate. Stop propagating propaganda.
The only reason Nigeria is at the forefront is because we have the largest standing army in West africa because of population size and better logistical capacity.

its people like you who make inflammatory remarks to stare emotional responses without using your ntellect. Put things in their proper context using your cerebral cortex for once.

The fact that you rely only on insults instead of using facts just show us the state of you brain (if you have brain). The illiterate is you, Ecomog is composed of 80% nigerians, so Ecomog is mostly Nigeria, so dont get annoyed when you heard that the Ivorian Army blew up the nigerian ambassy in Abidjan last week. It was just a "message" to your "house negro" president. Again you are relying on usless insults instead of answering the following question: How does this give the right to Nigeria to invade Ivory Coast just because the result of a presidential election do not suit the west?.

Horus:

The fact that you rely only on insults instead of using facts just show us the state of you brain (if you have brain). The illiterate is you, Ecomog is composed of 80% nigerians, so Ecomog is mostly Nigeria, so dont get annoyed when you heard that the Ivorian Army blew up the nigerian ambassy in Abidjan last week. It was just a "message" to your "house negro" president. Again you are relying on usless insults instead of answering the following question: How does this give the right to Nigeria to invade Ivory Coast just because the result of a presidential election do not suit the west?.

Very well said Horus - i am with you on this Nigeria/Ecomog has no business getting involved in the crisis in Ivory Coast - a crisis which was orchestrated by france in order to facilitate the transfer of the vast wealth of Ivory Coast into the coffers of the IMF and the myriad of french businesses which operate in Ivory Coast.

Gbago may well be a power hungry dictator but the french were quite happy with him up until recently, he went along with all of their structural adjustment programmes which the IMF imposed on Ivory Coast and he cut public spending, devalued the currency and authorised a whole raft of privatisation programmes which enabled foreign multinationals to move in and buy up most of the Ivorien public sector, now for some reason he seems to have fallen out of favour with them and they have decided to back yet another stooge namely ex IMF employee Ouattara.

To say that Jonathan is a house negro is the biggest understatement of all time - this shameless fool is a disgrace and embarrassment to the nigerian people, this man has no shame, can he not see that he is being used, why cant the UN deploy their own troops to Ivory Coast to dislodge Gbagbo, or could it be that they feel no white lives are worth risking in this fiasco? I suppose they must have thought it over and said lets get our houseboy Jonathan to get his own troops to go and die for us, after all their lives are worth nothing.

The more i think about this scenario the more i realise that Nigeria has never been a sovereign nation, and with the likes of Jonathan at the helm of affairs we are all doomed.

By the way everythign happening in Ivory Coast is capable of happening in Nigeria, if any of those rented politicians we have in nigeria dare challenge the west they should expect the same sort of military intervention that Ivory Coast is about to suffer.

Y is there no military intervention to kick out mugabe in zimbabwe dat has been rigging himslf bck to power for over 30yrs nw, paul biya of cameroun over 30yrs nw, mobarak of Egypt over 30yrs, Gadaffi of libya over 30yrs, whats so special nw abt IVC. Iran president did his even with d pandermonium there in iran d UN dint sent troups there. Nigeria shld learn to play international politics d way china is dng, evn S.A & Egypt are been diplomatic with d IVC issue y cant Nigeria do d same. I will also love 2c an international military intervention in Nigeria too to flush out dis political group inplace for they too rig themslvs in2 power and our votes dont count here in Nigeria too. S.A have been addressing zimbabwes issue diplomatically with Thabo Mbeki been d mediator btwn mugabe & d opposition nt by military intervention of wish its d suffering masses of IVC will further be d victim here. Lets use military might and flush out all those African so called leaders that ve ruled for 30yrs nw and if cant do that, then let IVC Solve their problems themselves and Nigeria shld profer a sensible solution than dis senseless script we are acting out 4others. France or USA or UN can invade IVC on there own if dats what dey want & stop selling a dummy to Nigeria in d name of Ecomog. We vnt solved our problems let alone solving dat of others, dats d hieght of HIPOCRACY.

byrron:

Y is there no military intervention to kick out mugabe in zimbabwe dat has been rigging himslf bck to power for over 30yrs nw, paul biya of cameroun over 30yrs nw, mobarak of Egypt over 30yrs, Gadaffi of libya over 30yrs, whats so special nw abt IVC. Iran president did his even with d pandermonium there in iran d UN dint sent troups there. Nigeria shld learn to play international politics d way china is dng, evn S.A & Egypt are been diplomatic with d IVC issue y cant Nigeria do d same. I will also love 2c an international military intervention in Nigeria too to flush out dis political group inplace for they too rig themslvs in2 power and our votes dont count here in Nigeria too. S.A have been addressing zimbabwes issue diplomatically with Thabo Mbeki been d mediator btwn mugabe & d opposition nt by military intervention of wish its d suffering masses of IVC will further be d victim here. Lets use military might and flush out all those African so called leaders that ve ruled for 30yrs nw and if cant do that, then let IVC Solve their problems themselves and Nigeria shld profer a sensible solution than dis senseless script we are acting out 4others. France or USA or UN can invade IVC on there own if dats what dey want & stop selling a dummy to Nigeria in d name of Ecomog. We vnt solved our problems let alone solving dat of others, dats d hieght of HIPOCRACY.

the thing about western intervention is that it is only deemed necessary when the head of state in question deviates from the agreed instructions and plans given to them by the west.

The west could not care less if the head of state in question is a brutal dictator or whether he is a democratically elected man of the people - the bottom line is - is he doing what we want him to do ie is he implementing neo liberal economic policies which favour our multinational corporations, assist in the massive transfer of wealth into our own internantional financial institutions whilst simultaneously impoverishing his own country and its people.

Notice how the west only started having problems with mugabe when he started accelerating the land reform programmes in which large tranches of white owned (stolen) farm land were being returned to the indigenous zimbabweans.

Gaddaffi transformed Libya from an impoverished barren wasteland into a modernised nation - this was all done with Libya's oil reserves, as a result he is very popular with his people and it would be almost impossible to depose a man who has brought so much prosperity for his people,  free education up to university level, subsidised housing among other social services are some of the things Gadaffi has been able to provide to his people in his 41 year tenure.

biya is a french backed puppet who has handed over the economy of his country to the french to be milked dry in return he has been allowed to remain in power as a life president.

i agree with the question you asked ie why hasnt the west intervened in nigeria in numerious instances where elections have been rigged, June 12 1993 comes to mind, why didnt the west intervene and back Abiola in the same way that they are backing Ouattara, could it be because Abiola might have opposed and even refused to comply with the destructive neo liberal economic policies that IBB had slavishly implemented.
this now make me conclude that IBB was not acting alone when he annulled June 12.

Nigeria should understand that they will be making a very big mistake if they send troops to Ivory coast - this crisis is not Nigeria's problem, it is France's problem, they are the imperialist vultures who are seeking to steal the resources of Ivory Coast in collusion with their puppets but they want african troops to do their dirty work for them, if they want to protect their investments let them use UN troops, france's actions in Ivory Coast are an insult to all africans.

cap28:

the thing about western intervention is that it is only deemed necessary when the head of state in question deviates from the agreed instructions and plans given to them by the west.

The west could not care less if the head of state in question is a brutal dictator or whether he is a democratically elected man of the people - the bottom line is - is he doing what we want him to do ie is he implementing neo liberal economic policies which favour our multinational corporations, assist in the massive transfer of wealth into our own internantional financial institutions whilst simultaneously impoverishing his own country and its people.

Notice how the west only started having problems with mugabe when he started accelerating the land reform programmes in which large tranches of white owned (stolen) farm land were being returned to the indigenous zimbabweans.

Gaddaffi transformed Libya from an impoverished barren wasteland into a modernised nation - this was all done with Libya's oil reserves, as a result he is very popular with his people and it would be almost impossible to depose a man who has brought so much prosperity for his people, free education up to university level, subsidised housing among other social services are some of the things Gadaffi has been able to provide to his people in his 41 year tenure.

biya is a french backed puppet who has handed over the economy of his country to the french to be milked dry in return he has been allowed to remain in power as a life president.

i agree with the question you asked ie why hasnt the west intervened in nigeria in numerious instances where elections have been rigged, June 12 1993 comes to mind, why didnt the west intervene and back Abiola in the same way that they are backing Ouattara, could it be because Abiola might have opposed and even refused to comply with the destructive neo liberal economic policies that IBB had slavishly implemented.
this now make me conclude that IBB was not acting alone when he annulled June 12.

Nigeria should understand that they will be making a very big mistake if they send troops to Ivory coast - this crisis is not Nigeria's problem, it is France's problem, they are the imperialist vultures who are seeking to steal the resources of Ivory Coast in collusion with their puppets but they want african troops to do their dirty work for them, if they want to protect their investments let them use UN troops, france's actions in Ivory Coast are an insult to all africans.

History leson101. Tell us somethng we already can't figure out. Like what best to do to resolve the conflict instead of projecig your innate hatred for former colonail masters. Thats obviousl not going to solve the prolbem.


Nigerians all talk no strategy

morpheus24:

History leson101. Tell us somethng we already can't figure out. Like what best to do to resolve the conflict instead of projecig your innate hatred for former colonail masters. Thats obviousl not going to solve the prolbem.


Nigerians all talk no strategy

for someone who has it all figured out you seem staggeringly ignorant of the damage that a french imperailst puppet poses to the well being of the Ivory Coast economy and its people.

So voting in a french imperialist puppet is the best solution to the current crisis in Ivory Coast?

I do not recall at any point during this discussion where you have come up with any thing closely resembling a strategy let alone a resolution - perhaps you would do well to remove the giant log in your eyes before you point out the speck in someone else's!

cap28:

for someone who has it all figured out you seem staggeringly ignorant of the damage that a french imperailst puppet poses to the well being of the Ivory Coast economy and its people.

So voting in a french imperialist puppet is the best solution to the current crisis in Ivory Coast?

What damage are you speaking of. Please elaborate. For a historical buff wonder why its seems to have crossed your mind that fact the Ivory coast experienced the most succesful economic years under the rule of someont tied with the french so much so that people from neighbouring coutnries flocked in the Ivory coast and never left till this day compared to the era of a socialist who came into power on the guise of labour unionism and equitable distribution of income who has yet to implement one law that has brought any progress for his people. and please don't give me that he ahsn't has time and the french are squeezing his hands. We live in an era of acess to  information like no other time and are able to leverage this to create sustainalbe progression in each of our soceities by partnering with numerous countries in the world.

cap28:


I do not recall at any point during this discussion where you have come up with any thing closely resembling a strategy let alone a resolution - perhaps you would do well to remove the giant log in your eyes before you point out the speck in someone else's!

I have youjust haven't been paying attention. Remove the ivorite tribalist socialist and put in the economist who was dielined bcuase of his ethnic background despite his proven ability to work within the governmetn and produce economic results

morpheus24:

What damage are you speaking of. Please elaborate. For a historical buff wonder why its seems to have crossed your mind that fact the Ivory coast experienced the most succesful economic years under the rule of someont tied with the french so much so that people from neighbouring coutnries flocked in the Ivory coast and never left till this day compared to the era of a socialist who came into power on the guise of labour unionism and equitable distribution of income who has yet to implement one law that has brought any progress for his people. and please don't give me that he ahsn't has time and the french are squeezing his hands. We live in an era of acess to  information like no other time and are able to leverage this to create sustainalbe progression in each of our soceities by partnering with numerous countries in the world.

Ivory Coast's economy was booming up until the 80s however the only beneficiaries of it were the ivorian elite who made money from the cocoa and coffee industries and the french expatriates whose businesses benfitted from generous tax subsidies and weak regulatory mechanisms which assisted them in the transfer of their profits out of ivory coast and back to france, not the ivorien people.   Those migrants that you refer to were peasants fleeing the poverty of neighbouring countries like burkina faso, chad and niger to  work on coffee and cocoa plantations as cheap labour, migrant workers are continuously on the move looking for work, we have migrant workers from Chad in northern nigeria - does that mean that nigeria's economy is booming ? all it indicates is that poor workers will go just about anywhere in the hope that they can get work.

During these so called boom years Boigny virtually opened up the country to the french to run, they were involved at every level of governance, the boom soon turned to bust however by the 1980s when commodity prices collapsed,  leaving Ivory coast virtually insolvent, it was under Boigny that Ivory Coast's economy started its downward spiral, at this point  france who were responsible for the economic mismanagement decided to throw Boigny to the IMF wolves who recommended that Ivory Coast take on enormous loans with crippling interest repayments.  In addition Ivory Coast was told to restructure its economy in line with SAP resulting in huge public exependiture cuts, currency devaluation and the transfer of Ivory Coasts public sector industries to foreign investors  via privatisation  - end result mass unemployment and  increased poverty and misery for the masses.

IN other words Boigny and his french cohorts who were responsible for mismanaging the Ivorien economy throughout the 60s through to the 80s  decided that the best way out of it was to implement harsh structural adjustment economic policies on the people of Ivory Coast, does that sound like a success story to you?

This is where Gbagbo came into the picture - his trade union background enabled him to empathise with the majority of the ivorien workers  who had been victimised and exploited by Boigny and the french, he promised the people a way out of the mess  - the french however had other ideas and insisted that he continue with the SAP programmes, therefore contrary to your erroneous view that Gbagbo has failed to deliver the real fact is that Gbagbo inherited an economy which had already been bankrupted by Boigny and the French.

I  have youjust haven't been paying attention. Remove the ivorite tribalist socialist and put in the economist who was dielined bcuase of his ethnic background despite his proven ability to work within the governmetn and produce economic results

the seeds of the ivoirite tribalism that you mention were sown by the french who decided to arm a rebel movement in the mainly muslim north in order to overthrow Gbagbo when they decided that he was no longer needed.
Outtara has nothing to offer the Ivoriens as he is an IMF agent with instructions to push through the remaining SAP programmes that Gbagbo did not implement, causing even more hardship, poverty and suffering for the people of Ivory coast.

@Cap28: U said it all and thats d way its been for ages. D day Nigeria gets a president that will address d anomaly by d multi-national companies like SHELL & CO then u will c d other side of d western world, for nw were are thier friends cos we impliment every dam tin we are asked to do and protect their investments and intrests as u can see, we ve opened up d flood gates of importation of all sort inclusive of toothpick. Dis is a song by Femi Kuti and it makes so much sense nw.(I sorry sorry oo, i sorry 4Nigeria, i sorry sorry oo, i sorry 4Africa).