USA Africa Dialogue Series - Cote d'Ivoire's Gbagbo, Ouattara battling over envoys expulsion

Cote d'Ivoire's Gbagbo, Ouattara battling over envoys expulsion

2011-01-08 16:17:35

ABIDJAN, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The expulsion of British and Canadian ambassadors from Cote d'Ivoire by Laurent Gbagbo's government has become a new source of conflict with his presidential rival Alassane Ouattara.

The reaction of Ouattara's camp did not take too long to come after Gbagbo's purported expulsion of Nicholas James Westcott and Marie-Isabelle Massip, who respectively represent Britain and Canada in Cote d'Ivoire.

Ouattara's camp termed this decision as "null and void" since it did not come from "the legitimate government of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire."

In a statement released on Friday, spokesman for Ouattara's government Jean Marie Kacou encouraged the British and Canadian ambassadors to remain in the country.

"The government would like to reaffirm its commitment to cement the existing good cooperation ties between these respective countries and Cote d'Ivoire," said Kacou, who is also the foreign minister of Ouattara's government.

Before that, Britain and Canada had ignored the decision by Gbagbo's camp by refusing to recognize the expulsion of their ambassadors since they had not been informed by Ouattara's government they consider to be legitimate.

The refusal by the two ambassadors to leave Cote d'Ivoire was praised by Ouattara's camp, which also termed the move as being "responsible" since they chose to remain in the country to continue carrying out their duties.

A few days ago, Britain and Canada terminated the accreditation of Cote d'Ivoire's ambassadors appointed by Gbagbo, insisting that they will only recognize diplomats appointed by Ouattara.

Gbagbo's government decided to apply the principle of "reciprocity" which guides diplomatic relations and expelled the ambassadors of the two countries.

Cote d'Ivoire is currently experiencing a post-election crisis which arose from the Nov. 28 presidential run-off contested by Gbagbo and Ouattara.

The country now has two presidents, two prime ministers and two governments.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been involved in the resolution of the crisis through two mediation missions to Abidjan.

This sub-regional organization still favors a negotiated solution even though the two missions were not successful.

However, ECOWAS has threatened to resort to a military intervention if Gbagbo refuses to cede power to Ouattara, who is recognized as the winner by the international community.

 

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Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
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