Update from Ros: We're inviting people we know that you want to speak to...
2011 is a big year for African politics. Next year nearly twenty nations across the continent will hold national elections, probably the most since the independence era.
So you can understand why many have been watching the events unfolding in Ivory Coast. One observer has said this is the World vs Gbagbo in an African test case.
With numerous International and African bodies going up against a steadfast incumbent the outcome in Ivory Coast will surely send a message to the rest of continents leaders ahead of so many important elections.
Today the UN is warning of a real risk of civil war in the country, they say Mr Gbabgo is recruiting Liberian mercenaries in preparation of violence. The Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also accused Mr Gbabgo of blockading the country’s UN mission warning that “attempting to starve them into submission will not be tolerated.”
- We've the UN spokesperson in Ivory Coast to respond to your points.
- We'll have at least one expert on Ivory Coast to answer any questions you have about the country and its politics.
- We're inviting spokespeople for both Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara to respond to your points (though neither have confirmed yet...).
ORIGINAL POST:
So where will this all end? The Economist says the AU must not look weak:
As the continent’s leading body, which often intones the mantra of “African solutions to African problems”, must not back down. It has done just that several times before when a well-entrenched incumbent has been defeated at the polls but insisted on staying on. In the past few years, most notably in Kenya and Zimbabwe, presidents have lost elections but, after horrendous spasms of violence, have persuaded the AU and junior regional bodies, such as the 15-country Southern African Development Community, to let them remain at the head of patchwork governments of “national unity”. Worse still, a year ago in Madagascar the AU deplored a coup and loudly insisted that the power-grabber should stand aside. But after an awkward hiatus, nothing more was done.
Knox Chitiyo, head of the Africa programme at the Royal United Services Institute says the international community must act fast:
If the impasse continues, the implications are that elections don't matter and that defeated candidates who have military support can always use constitutionalism to subvert democracy.
The EU has agreed a travel ban on Mr Gbabgo and at least one African country has offered him exile if he steps down but what more can be done? According to the FT an african diplomat is very clear about the options left to Eocwas:
There are two scenarios: either the international and regional pressure pushes Gbagbo to leave office or there is civil war. There is no third way.
Do you agree? We’ve been here before and with so much at stake how can an agreement be reached?
Jake in Canada emails: Common sense says Mr. Gbagbo lost the election so does virtually every other method of logical reasoning. He must go or be forcefully removed before more people will surely die as a result!
Comment sent via SMS
18:52
115958386
Shame on African leaders who have made power struggle the trademark of elections in African.as things stand out now the two leaders claim of winning theelections is a clear indication that there is a possibility that both are being backed by foreign agents in total disregard to the wishes of ivorians!any classified information about ivorycoast mr jullian Assange? DAHIR SHEIKH NAIROBI KENYA
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:54
113631290
Leon in Ivory Coast emails: Mr Ouattara and Gbagbo, both agreed in the 2007 accords that the UN representative will be the ultimate authority for the elections. Don’t talk about the constitutional council, Gbagbo agreed that the UN will be the referee.
Comment sent via SMS
18:51
108477536
Gbagbo spokesperson talks of law & order, where was the law when Gbagbo supporters were grabbing results of election from election officials & tear thembcos 0uattara was winning?Martin,Zambia
Comment sent via SMS
18:52
115958393
The De-Facto president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, shouldn’t be referred to as the president in the first place. He should be forcefully remorved immediately. Frm: Alhaji Mans. Freetown. Sierra Leone
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:50
113631290
Mohamed in London emails: Most of the African problems come from a dictator or a bad leadership. Unless African countries get help from the rest of world many of them will vanish as is about to happen now In Ivory coast. Mr Gbagbo should understand that he is fuelling a fire that will burn all Ivorian people including him.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:50
113631290
Assante in Accra emails: Mr. Advisor, why are you justifying your position with past wrongs? I think this clearly shows that you know you are wrong but you want to use the past as an excuse, SHAME on you!
Comment sent via SMS
18:49
114252923
Mohamed Shekimweri in Zambia. There is no comparison between Ivory coast and Iraq.
Comment sent via SMS
18:47
109832593
Explain (1) abductions, disappearances (2) electro fraud dat UN examined and still found Ouatara the winner - David Mulabi in Butaleja, Uganda
Comment sent via SMS
18:46
110162354
bagbo need to understand the need to have democracy in his soil and sovereignity of the whole country,mohamed noor,ijara northern kenya.
Comment sent via SMS
18:48
115958365
The international community have always been part of the problem in Africa by taking sides and inciting Mohamed Abi in USA
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:46
113631290
Joshua in Albania emails: In my opinion regardless of who people think won, the UN should still respect Ivory Coast's sovereignty without UN. I will go so far as to say that the UN, America, and France wouldn't be supporting Ouattara so vehemently unless he was a UN puppet.
Comment sent via SMS
18:39
115958295
it is obvious that Gbabo is going to stall for as long as he can hoping that the international community will tire out. Please do something international community lest so many innocent people die. He must leave!!
Comment sent via SMS
18:39
113994022
Military intervention by A.U would sound more acceptable.But by the U.N would represent unpreceded action that could complicate things there.Mohamd Ahmd-Sudan
Comment sent via SMS
18:38
109432277
The only best alternative 2 solve Gbabo’s dictatorship is the use of foreign troops 2 oust him. Otherwise,democracy is dying in W.Africa. Jok Matiop Atem.KUAJOK
Comment sent via SMS
18:42
113735167
Don’t you think some politicians in Africa would like this ivorian saga to continue in order to divert world attentiion from upcomming elections in their -missing Fragment-
Comment sent via SMS
18:40
115958298
What is the UN waiting for to take action against gbagbo?are they waiting for half a million peoples to died?mohammed swaray from new georgia monrovia.
On air: Ivory Coast on the Brink
| Wednesday, 12 Dec. 2010 | 17:52 - 19:00 GMT
Update from Ros: We're inviting people we know that you want to speak to...
2011 is a big year for African politics. Next year nearly twenty nations across the continent will hold national elections, probably the most since the independence era.
So you can understand why many have been watching the events unfolding in Ivory Coast. One observer has said this is the World vs Gbagbo in an African test case.
With numerous International and African bodies going up against a steadfast incumbent the outcome in Ivory Coast will surely send a message to the rest of continents leaders ahead of so many important elections.
Today the UN is warning of a real risk of civil war in the country, they say Mr Gbabgo is recruiting Liberian mercenaries in preparation of violence. The Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also accused Mr Gbabgo of blockading the country’s UN mission warning that “attempting to starve them into submission will not be tolerated.”
- We've the UN spokesperson in Ivory Coast to respond to your points.
- We'll have at least one expert on Ivory Coast to answer any questions you have about the country and its politics.
- We're inviting spokespeople for both Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara to respond to your points (though neither have confirmed yet...).
ORIGINAL POST:
So where will this all end? The Economist says the AU must not look weak:
As the continent’s leading body, which often intones the mantra of “African solutions to African problems”, must not back down. It has done just that several times before when a well-entrenched incumbent has been defeated at the polls but insisted on staying on. In the past few years, most notably in Kenya and Zimbabwe, presidents have lost elections but, after horrendous spasms of violence, have persuaded the AU and junior regional bodies, such as the 15-country Southern African Development Community, to let them remain at the head of patchwork governments of “national unity”. Worse still, a year ago in Madagascar the AU deplored a coup and loudly insisted that the power-grabber should stand aside. But after an awkward hiatus, nothing more was done.
Knox Chitiyo, head of the Africa programme at the Royal United Services Institute says the international community must act fast:
If the impasse continues, the implications are that elections don't matter and that defeated candidates who have military support can always use constitutionalism to subvert democracy.
The EU has agreed a travel ban on Mr Gbabgo and at least one African country has offered him exile if he steps down but what more can be done? According to the FT an african diplomat is very clear about the options left to Eocwas:
There are two scenarios: either the international and regional pressure pushes Gbagbo to leave office or there is civil war. There is no third way.
Do you agree? We’ve been here before and with so much at stake how can an agreement be reached?
Your comments
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Jake in Canada emails: Common sense says Mr. Gbagbo lost the election so does virtually every other method of logical reasoning. He must go or be forcefully removed before more people will surely die as a result!
Comment sent via SMS
Shame on African leaders who have made power struggle the trademark of elections in African.as things stand out now the two leaders claim of winning theelections is a clear indication that there is a possibility that both are being backed by foreign agents in total disregard to the wishes of ivorians!any classified information about ivorycoast mr jullian Assange? DAHIR SHEIKH NAIROBI KENYA
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Leon in Ivory Coast emails: Mr Ouattara and Gbagbo, both agreed in the 2007 accords that the UN representative will be the ultimate authority for the elections. Don’t talk about the constitutional council, Gbagbo agreed that the UN will be the referee.
Comment sent via SMS
Gbagbo spokesperson talks of law & order, where was the law when Gbagbo supporters were grabbing results of election from election officials & tear thembcos 0uattara was winning?Martin,Zambia
Comment sent via SMS
The De-Facto president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, shouldn’t be referred to as the president in the first place. He should be forcefully remorved immediately. Frm: Alhaji Mans. Freetown. Sierra Leone
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Mohamed in London emails: Most of the African problems come from a dictator or a bad leadership. Unless African countries get help from the rest of world many of them will vanish as is about to happen now In Ivory coast. Mr Gbagbo should understand that he is fuelling a fire that will burn all Ivorian people including him.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Assante in Accra emails: Mr. Advisor, why are you justifying your position with past wrongs? I think this clearly shows that you know you are wrong but you want to use the past as an excuse, SHAME on you!
Comment sent via SMS
Mohamed Shekimweri in Zambia. There is no comparison between Ivory coast and Iraq.
Comment sent via SMS
Explain (1) abductions, disappearances (2) electro fraud dat UN examined and still found Ouatara the winner - David Mulabi in Butaleja, Uganda
Comment sent via SMS
bagbo need to understand the need to have democracy in his soil and sovereignity of the whole country,mohamed noor,ijara northern kenya.
Comment sent via SMS
The international community have always been part of the problem in Africa by taking sides and inciting Mohamed Abi in USA
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Joshua in Albania emails: In my opinion regardless of who people think won, the UN should still respect Ivory Coast's sovereignty without UN. I will go so far as to say that the UN, America, and France wouldn't be supporting Ouattara so vehemently unless he was a UN puppet.
Comment sent via SMS
it is obvious that Gbabo is going to stall for as long as he can hoping that the international community will tire out. Please do something international community lest so many innocent people die. He must leave!!
Comment sent via SMS
Military intervention by A.U would sound more acceptable.But by the U.N would represent unpreceded action that could complicate things there.Mohamd Ahmd-Sudan
Comment sent via SMS
The only best alternative 2 solve Gbabo’s dictatorship is the use of foreign troops 2 oust him. Otherwise,democracy is dying in W.Africa. Jok Matiop Atem.KUAJOK
Comment sent via SMS
Don’t you think some politicians in Africa would like this ivorian saga to continue in order to divert world attentiion from upcomming elections in their -missing Fragment-
Comment sent via SMS
What is the UN waiting for to take action against gbagbo?are they waiting for half a million peoples to died?mohammed swaray from new georgia monrovia.