Ivory Coast remains embroiled in political turmoil that erupted in late November, following presidential elections, elections that ended with the two leading candidates, Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, proclaiming victory, resulting in a power addition bicefalia a mess today, three months later, threatens to turn into civil war.
Cocoa (a product that attracts the highest rate of foreign exchange) has become the latest battlefront. On Monday the outgoing President Gbagbo ordered the government to "take control of all cocoa purchases and exports (up to now in the hands of multinationals), a gesture to the opposition was Ouattara, internationally recognized as the legitimate winner, announced a temporary ban on seed exports, hoping to cut off the supply to its rival.
The crisis in the country which supplies 40% of worldwide product demand has skyrocketed in price in recent months. In the trenches, the New Forces rebels, who support the opposition Ouattara, have announced in recent days making the city of Toulepleu, on the border with Liberia, strategic location to be a stopping point for the alleged Liberian mercenaries Gbagbo would be paying to fight in his favor.
The armed group today controls the northern half of the country, while the Army (loyal to the outgoing president) controls the south. The country's main city, Abidjan, has become the main battlefield. According to witnesses in the economic capital, the city has fallen victim in recent days of new clashes that have claimed the lives of at least three people, while agencies reported that security forces have been looting the homes of "ministers" that Ouattara was appointed when he formed his parallel government.
In addition, the regime of outgoing president last week won international condemnation when shooting in cold blood against women demonstrators in a protest against Gbagbo in a suburb of Abidjan, a slaughter that swept away the lives of at least six women, including a pregnant woman. The instability in Ivory Coast began with the presidential elections in late November, an event that is intended to seal a dark chapter in U.S.
history, which still suffers from the civil war in 2002. Ouattara, the main opponent of the Government, was recognized as the winner by the Electoral Commission, a result that the Constitutional Council (a body akin to President Gbagbo has refused to confirm, naming it in turn to the winner).
Both candidates set since the beginning of the crisis in their respective cabinets and refused to participate in any unity government agreement. Since then, the country had two governments, while the international community only recognizes as legitimate the administration of Ouattara. What began as a struggle for power in high places has now become a battle in the streets that has killed at least 365 people, according to the UN.
A figure which nevertheless could be much higher given the difficulty of counting victims in a conflict marked by the hostility of the regime towards the international community. The UN agency for refugees (UNHCR) has reported on his part that around 300,000 Ivorians have been displaced by violence, while 72,000 remain in refugee camps in neighboring Liberia.
United States on Monday authorized the shipment of 12.6 million U.S. dollars for refugees. Determined to reach consensus, the African Union (AU) has invited both candidates to the summit to be held next week in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). Ouattara has confirmed his attendance, which means he will leave the hotel Golf (home protected by peacekeepers 24 hours) for the first time since the crisis began in late November.
Meanwhile, the AU has appointed a committee of five African heads of state to help resolve the conflict. The 'panel of wise men' was to present a peace agreement in late February, a document that eventually was postponed a month until late March. 
Cocoa (a product that attracts the highest rate of foreign exchange) has become the latest battlefront. On Monday the outgoing President Gbagbo ordered the government to "take control of all cocoa purchases and exports (up to now in the hands of multinationals), a gesture to the opposition was Ouattara, internationally recognized as the legitimate winner, announced a temporary ban on seed exports, hoping to cut off the supply to its rival.
The crisis in the country which supplies 40% of worldwide product demand has skyrocketed in price in recent months. In the trenches, the New Forces rebels, who support the opposition Ouattara, have announced in recent days making the city of Toulepleu, on the border with Liberia, strategic location to be a stopping point for the alleged Liberian mercenaries Gbagbo would be paying to fight in his favor.
The armed group today controls the northern half of the country, while the Army (loyal to the outgoing president) controls the south. The country's main city, Abidjan, has become the main battlefield. According to witnesses in the economic capital, the city has fallen victim in recent days of new clashes that have claimed the lives of at least three people, while agencies reported that security forces have been looting the homes of "ministers" that Ouattara was appointed when he formed his parallel government.
In addition, the regime of outgoing president last week won international condemnation when shooting in cold blood against women demonstrators in a protest against Gbagbo in a suburb of Abidjan, a slaughter that swept away the lives of at least six women, including a pregnant woman. The instability in Ivory Coast began with the presidential elections in late November, an event that is intended to seal a dark chapter in U.S.
history, which still suffers from the civil war in 2002. Ouattara, the main opponent of the Government, was recognized as the winner by the Electoral Commission, a result that the Constitutional Council (a body akin to President Gbagbo has refused to confirm, naming it in turn to the winner).
Both candidates set since the beginning of the crisis in their respective cabinets and refused to participate in any unity government agreement. Since then, the country had two governments, while the international community only recognizes as legitimate the administration of Ouattara. What began as a struggle for power in high places has now become a battle in the streets that has killed at least 365 people, according to the UN.
A figure which nevertheless could be much higher given the difficulty of counting victims in a conflict marked by the hostility of the regime towards the international community. The UN agency for refugees (UNHCR) has reported on his part that around 300,000 Ivorians have been displaced by violence, while 72,000 remain in refugee camps in neighboring Liberia.
United States on Monday authorized the shipment of 12.6 million U.S. dollars for refugees. Determined to reach consensus, the African Union (AU) has invited both candidates to the summit to be held next week in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). Ouattara has confirmed his attendance, which means he will leave the hotel Golf (home protected by peacekeepers 24 hours) for the first time since the crisis began in late November.
Meanwhile, the AU has appointed a committee of five African heads of state to help resolve the conflict. The 'panel of wise men' was to present a peace agreement in late February, a document that eventually was postponed a month until late March.
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