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U.S. President Barack Obama has lifted decade-old economic sanctions against Cote d’Ivoire, the world’s biggest cocoa producer.
He’s cited a successful presidential election last year and the country’s progress in tackling illegal arms trafficking as reasons for his decision. Five years after a post-election civil war, the country has been reborn as one of Africa’s economic stars. It’s also widely viewed as a model of post-conflict reconstruction. In August, Moody’s projected medium-term growth of approximately 8-percent. That is significantly higher than the average for sub-Saharan African countries.
Still, deep-seated tensions between supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo and current President Alassane Ouattara continue to simmer.
