For many observers, Alassane Ouattara’s victory will come as a relief. He is credited for helping stabilise Cote d’Ivoire after years of turmoil. Many of the citizens are hoping a second term for Ouattara means a boost to its development. We take a look at his background. Kofa Mrenje reports
He may not have been widely known outside Cote d’Ivoire before 2010, but Alassane Ouattara set out on the road to the top job more than twenty years ago.
An economist by profession, he worked for various financial institutions, including the IMF and the central bank of West African States, between the late sixties and 1988.
His break into politics though, came in November 1990 when he was appointed Prime Minister. Even in the 1990s he’d wanted to be president -but was blocked after the National Assembly passed a law in 1995 that barred candidates of foreign parentage.
His father was rumoured to have been born in Burkina Faso. He also was disqualified on the same grounds in 2000.
The race in 2010 was always going to be hard-fought but incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat. Months of civil war followed where close to three thousand people died.
Outtara’s allies included the African Union, Ecowas, the US and most crucially the French and French troops helped Outtara root out and then capture Gbagbo.
Since then Outtara has sought to rebuild the economy and called for reconciliation.
Critics argue though that he has been slow to pursue justice against those among his followers who perpetrated atrocities during the post-election violence.
Outtara is keenly aware of that tension – promising to address the issue during his campaign.
So far, Outtara has proven himself capable of keeping the country largely peaceful and claims to have created millions of jobs.
Getting Cote D’Ivoire back on the road to prosperity – and taking the vast majority along with him though – is the major challenge.
