Alassane Ouattara received, Tuesday, November 10, the reinforcement of his African peers who recognized his re-election to a controversial third term at the head of Côte d'Ivoire.

The African Union (AU) and the Community of West African States (ECOWAS) congratulated the Ivorian head of state, after the final validation Monday by the Constitutional Council of the victory of Alassane Ouattara, in the first round of the presidential poll of October 31 with 94.27% of the vote, for a third term that the opposition considers unconstitutional.

The Ivorian presidency also received, by mail, messages from Morocco, Senegal, Togo and Ghana, according to a source close to the presidency.    

The Ivorian opposition boycotted the election and refuses to recognize its validity.

While the Ivorian power and opposition are at loggerheads, the AU "invites all political actors to favor dialogue to preserve social cohesion and peace", and ECOWAS "urges" President Ouattara to "do everything possible. in favor of the gathering of Ivorians ". 

"Appeasement"

The two pan-African institutions stress that the dialogue must be carried out with "respect for institutions" (AU) and "legal remedies" (ECOWAS), while the opposition has announced the establishment of a "National Council of transition "(CNT) the day after the election.

Through the voice of its Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, France estimated that Alassane Ouattara's offer of dialogue was going "in the right direction", but hoped that "acts will contribute to appeasement". 

The political and security situation remains tense, however, with further violence in the Center-East.

In the wake of unrest that left nine dead in Daoukro and Sikensi (center-east) on Monday, intercommunal clashes were taking place in M'Batto, 200 km from Abidjan.

At least three people died there Monday and Tuesday and 26 injured, according to a spokesperson for the gendarmerie, while many inhabitants of the region speak of a heavier toll during these clashes between Agni, a local ethnic group known to be pro opposition, and Dioula from the North, reputed to be pro-Ouattara.

The troubles linked to the election have killed about fifty people for three months, including ten on Monday, when the opposition called for a day of mobilization. 

Opponents prosecuted and imprisoned

On Monday evening, during a televised address to the Nation, President Ouattara invited his main opponent Henri Konan Bédié to "a meeting in the next few days for a frank and sincere dialogue with a view to restoring confidence".

A sign of appeasement after having used the hard way in the face of the opposition: with the exception of Henri Konan Bédié, former head of state, all of its leaders are subject to legal proceedings and have been imprisoned , or are blocked at home by the police.

Neither Henri Konan Bédié nor his Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI) have yet officially reacted to President Ouattara's offer.

But N'Goran Djiedri, director general of the PDCI administration, and leader of one of its currents - Notre Héritage - has set conditions.

"Yes to dialogue, but with the opposition platform and with a UN mediator," he told AFP.

"Even a two-year-old baby no longer trusts Alassane Ouattara."

"The former president of Côte d'Ivoire" Alassane Ouattara "calls the Ivorian opposition to dialogue with the same intention that the hungry wolf would call the lamb to dialogue," reacted on Twitter Guillaume Soro, the former leader of the rebellion and former Prime Minister, become fierce opponent of the regime and in exile abroad.

With AFP

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