Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has been inaugurated for a fourth five-year term, with strong backing from the United States, which has described Ivory Coast as politically stable despite recent unrest.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at the presidential palace in Abidjan, drew 11 African presidents and senior international guests, including Jacob Helberg, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. Speaking at the event, Helberg emphasised that Washington is “not in the business of telling countries how to run themselves,” adding that he views Ivory Coast as “politically stable”.
The declaration comes even as rights groups highlight the 11 deaths and nearly 2,000 arrests linked to post-election violence on October 25. Most major opposition candidates were barred from contesting, a decision that fuelled widespread criticism of the electoral process.
Ouattara, who first came to power after a contested 2010 election, has previously amended the constitution, arguing in 2020 that the changes effectively reset his presidential term count. Supporters credit him with restoring economic stability in the world’s largest cocoa producer, but critics accuse him of consolidating power and undermining democratic norms.
His fourth-term administration faces the dual challenge of maintaining political stability and addressing lingering concerns over civil liberties and electoral transparency.
Melissa Enoch
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