Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo spoke on Sunday, November 10, with the French ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire. A way, for both parties, to re-establish a channel of communication which had broken down since the electoral crisis of 2010-2011.
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With our correspondent in Abidjan, Bineta Diagne
The exchange, initiated by the French ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire Jean-Christophe Belliard, lasted almost two hours. The approach is part of a desire to speak to all stakeholders in Ivorian political life, explains a diplomatic source. The French ambassador has already met Tidjane Thiam, the leader of the PDCI-RDA.
In substance, the French diplomat and the former Ivorian president addressed several subjects: the economic situation, the Sahel question, the perception of France in the sub-region and the 2025 presidential election. On this subject, if the question of the transparency of the vote was mentioned, the former Ivorian president ” has not made any specific request regarding their eligibility », Indicates a French diplomatic source.
“ The meeting was cordial and went well », Affirms Habiba Touré, spokesperson for the PPA-CI to AFP. If Laurent Gbagbo’s entourage puts the scope of this meeting into perspective, this gesture still allows us to create a bond. Along the same lines, Laurent Gbagbo should soon participate in a meeting with all the ambassadors of the European Union stationed in Abidjan.
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