Category Archives: Politics

Faut laisser ca

Posted on May 16, 2015 by admin

This week Ivory Coast’s minister for sports and youth, Alain Lobognon, was pushed to resign as the scandal around the unpaid bonuses for the country’s African Cup of Nations team continues to cause casualties. I have no idea whether the … Continue reading →

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The Moroccan takeover

Posted on May 10, 2015 by admin

For Ivory Coast watchers it’s been a busy week in the international media, what with Chelsea and Drogba securing the Premier League title, an Ivorian boy caught being smuggled into Spain in a suitcase, the continued rumblings over the disappeared football … Continue reading →

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Journal Gbayé – Ivory Coast’s news in rap and nouchi

Posted on March 28, 2015 by admin

I’d seen the stories about the rap news in Senegal (the JT rappé) , but now from the same outfit we have an Ivorian version, rapped/sung in French and Nouchi (local Ivorian street slang), with support from George Soros’ Open … Continue reading →

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Ivory Coast – after Houphouet’s ‘heriteurs’

Posted on March 20, 2015 by admin

As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t think most Ivory Coast observers regard the 2015 presidential election as anything much more than a foregone conclusion. The principal question seems to be how much Ouattara will win by, and whether that percentage … Continue reading →

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Ivory Coast’s Emergence – is the slogan realistic?

Posted on February 14, 2015 by admin

If there’s one word that’s almost impossible to escape nowadays in Ivory Coast, it’s ’emergence’. The presidential vision is to see the country become an emerging nation by 2020. You’re almost guaranteed to hear it every single evening on RTI’s … Continue reading →

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Looking back

Posted on February 9, 2015 by admin

It’s something of a regret that I started this blog very late into my life in Abidjan: the first post was made in May 2011, at the beginning of the Ouattara presidency. I struggle to remember why I hadn’t been … Continue reading →

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Hype and reality

Posted on December 20, 2014 by admin

From afar, you can easily get sucked in by all the hype that Abidjan is somehow completely transformed. I don’t doubt things are moving in a positive direction, but just an hour into my recent trip I’d understood that much … Continue reading →

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Trouble in the barracks

Posted on November 19, 2014 by admin

Bit of a sad day for Ivory Coast watchers yesterday with protests by soldiers throughout the country because of unpaid bonuses. The whole Ivorian crisis in 1999 started this way, so there’s a natural fear from déjà vu. Of course … Continue reading →

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Finding a tie for the president

Posted on September 13, 2014 by admin

President Ouattara was in Dubai this week – not for the Lady Gaga concert, but rather for a West African monetary zone investment forum. There wasn’t the time for a general meeting with the Dubai Ivorian community, but there was … Continue reading →

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TedX Abidjan 2014

Posted on July 20, 2014 by admin

I’ve passed the last week in Abidjan spending time with family (who aren’t allowed to live with me in my current emergency posting in Bangui, CAR), to the unfortunate detriment of my friends. However, I was lucky that my visit coincided … Continue reading →

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