Three months before the presidential election, President Alassane Ouattara announced on Tuesday 29 July that he would seek a fourth term. This declaration, eagerly awaited by his supporters as well as by his opponents, put an end to several months of speculation. The 83-year-old head of state, who has been in power since 2011 and was re-elected in 2015 and 2020, justified his decision in a televised address: “I am a candidate because I want our beloved Côte d’Ivoire to remain a prosperous, peaceful and secure country. I’m not sure. The Ivorian President also stressed that the Constitution allows him to represent himself and that his state of health authorizes him. “Our country faces unprecedented security, economic and monetary challenges, the management of which requires experience”, he added, calling on his compatriots to renew their confidence in him in October next year.
Alassane Ouattara announces his candidacy for a fourth term
