Ivory Coast: Henri Konan Bédié calls for a new reconciliation project ”
Meeting between the two opposition leaders in Côte d'Ivoire, Henri Konan Bédié, of the PDCI and Laurent Gbagbo, of the FPI-EDS, with a view to a strengthened political alliance, on July 11, 2021. © François Hume-Ferkatadji / RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
This is the second stage of Laurent Gbagbo's visit to the stronghold of Henri Konan Bédié, in the center-east of Côte d'Ivoire.
After the reunion, Saturday July 10, in Douakro, the two opposition leaders meet, this Sunday July 11, in Bédiékro, in the bush, in the heart of the plantations of the former president of the PDCI.
At the end of this day, Henri Konan Bédié called for "
a new democratic project
" and political discussions between the FPI-EDS and the PDCI with a view to a strengthened political alliance.
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With our special
correspondent
in
Bédiékro
,
François Hume-Ferkatadji
By a press release read to the press, in the presence of delegations from the PDCI and the FPI-EDS, Henri Konan Bédié described his meeting with Laurent Gbagbo as a "
historic turning point
", "
a song of brotherhood
" he said, able to "
Building a reconciled Ivory Coast
". Because the president of the PDCI called for "
the establishment of a true reconciliation project
", without however defining its outlines.
Henri Konan Bédié remained vague in calling for the establishment of "
a new democratic project devoid of all partisan interests"
but promised to
"define this reconciliation project to present it to the whole nation
" in the coming weeks.
He indicates that this project could not succeed without "
a strong will from the Head of State, Alassane Ouattara, political actors, (his) compatriots and development actors.
"
A rather mysterious speech therefore, without clear announcement at this stage, leaving room for all interpretations.
To explain this desire for democratic renewal, Henri Konan Bédié painted a gloomy picture of the situation in the country.
"
For twenty years, Côte d'Ivoire has taken the path of destroying the fundamentals,
" laments the former President of the Republic, deposed by a coup in 1999.
"
I want to bring all my strength, all the strength I have left, for the Ivory Coast of tomorrow,
" said the 87-year-old politician, alongside Laurent Gbagbo, 76.
At midday, the two opposition leaders met in the domain of Henri Konan Bédié in Bédiékro.
Smiling and relaxed, the two men rushed into a 4X4, Henri Konan Bédié not taking his cigar out of his mouth and Laurent Gbagbo, wearing a hat.
For an hour, they visited the rubber plantations of the President of the PDCI and the fish farms in the area, with the stated aim of showing a new complicity between the former political rivals.
Read also: Ivory Coast: Gbagbo's visit to Konan Bédié takes on the appearance of a political rally
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Ivory Coast
Laurent Gbagbo
Henri Konan Bédié