Ivory Coast: pro-Gbagbo FPI grows impatient and calls for return of former president

The supporters of former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo are still calling for his return to the country.

(illustrative image) Jerry Lampen / Pool via REUTERS

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Laurent Gbagbo has lived in Brussels since his acquittal at first instance by the ICC in January 2019. In early December, he received two passports from the Ivorian authorities, one diplomatic and the other ordinary, with a view to returning to the country.

Assoa Adou, secretary general of the pro-Gbagbo FPI, was also received once again by Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko in early January to discuss this return.

And since then, more contacts deplore Assoa Adou in a press release.

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With our correspondent in Abidjan,

Pierre Pinto

A first meeting between Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko and Laurent Gbagbo's emissaries took place on November 13.

It aimed to initiate discussions on a return to Côte d'Ivoire of the former president.

The question was also one of the central themes of the political dialogue between the government and the opposition in December, after the declared desire to calm the political climate, the authorities

issued Laurent Gbagbo two passports

.

A new meeting between his emissaries and the government took place on January 6, "

and since then nothing, despite the multiple phone calls

 " deplores in a statement Assoa Adou, mandated by the former president to discuss the practical modalities of his return .

On the side of the Ivorian authorities, who say they are ready to see the former head of state return to Côte d'Ivoire, it has long been specified that this return will only take place once the current

appeal procedure has been

closed.

the ICC

.

In the press release on Thursday, the pro-Gbagbo FPI "

calls again for the government's commitment to meet, within a suitable time, the conditions for the effective return to Côte d'Ivoire of President Laurent Gbagbo

 ".

According to the text, while waiting for this situation to evolve, Assoa Adou " 

decided to organize the effective return of President Laurent Ggbagbo, by setting up a National Reception Committee

 ".

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• Ivory Coast

• Laurent Gbagbo