ECOWAS goes troubleshooting in Cote D’Ivoire

By Tasie Theodore

The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS has undertaken a troubleshooting mission to Cote D’Ivoire ahead of the quite contentious presidential elections scheduled to hold in the last day of the month of October.

In the polls that hold on October 31st, President Alasane Ouattara is seeking a third term in office.

According to sources, the visiting delegation pleaded with the opposition to reconsider plans to boycott the polls. They also requested that the authorities reconstitute the electoral commission ahead of the polls to take care of objections raised as to the non-neutrality of the commission.

Observers say that it is important that Cote D’Ivoire puts its house in order now so as to continue to build on some of the impressive strides recorded in the area of peace-building and economic development in the past decade.

Instructively, the troubleshooting mission is coming on the heels of the continuing crisis that has greeted last Sunday’s presidential polls in Guinea where some eight persons have been reported to have died in post-election violence.

Earlier in the year also, post-election crisis had wracked the Sahelian West African nation of Mali and was indeed to lead to a military coup that ended the rule of former Prime Minister Ibrahim Keita.

Another forthcoming poll in the sub-region this year which is also being watched with keen interest is that of Ghana where incumbent President Nana Akufo Addo is locked in a stiff contest with his predecessor, John Mahama.

President Ouattara of Cote D’Ivoire