Cote d `Ivoire 2016 Country Review http://www.countrywatch.com Table of Contents Chapter 1 1 Country Overview 1 Country Overview 2 Key Data 3 Cote d `Ivoire 4 Africa 5 Chapter 2 7 Political Overview 7 History 8 Political Conditions 9 Political Risk Index 47 Political Stability 62 Freedom Rankings 77 Human Rights 89 Government Functions 92 Government Structure 93 Principal Government Officials 98 Leader Biography 99 Leader Biography 99 Foreign Relations 102 National Security 106 Defense Forces 109 Chapter 3 111 Economic Overview 111 Economic Overview 112 Nominal GDP and Components 114 Population and GDP Per Capita 116 Real GDP and Inflation 117 Government Spending and Taxation 118 Money Supply, Interest Rates and Unemployment 119 Foreign Trade and the Exchange Rate 120 Data in US Dollars 121 Energy Consumption and Production Standard Units 122 Energy Consumption and Production QUADS 123 World Energy Price Summary 124 CO2 Emissions 125 Agriculture Consumption and Production 126 World Agriculture Pricing Summary 129 Metals Consumption and Production 130 World Metals Pricing Summary 132 Economic Performance Index 133 Chapter 4 145 Investment Overview 145 Foreign Investment Climate 146 Foreign Investment Index 149 Corruption Perceptions Index 162 Competitiveness Ranking 174 Taxation 183 Stock Market 184 Partner Links 184 Chapter 5 185 Social Overview 185 People 186 Human Development Index 188 Life Satisfaction Index 192 Happy Planet Index 203 Status of Women 212 Global Gender Gap Index 215 Culture and Arts 224 Etiquette 224 Travel Information 225 Diseases/Health Data 235 Chapter 6 242 Environmental Overview 242 Environmental Issues 243 Environmental Policy 244 Greenhouse Gas Ranking 245 Global Environmental Snapshot 256 Global Environmental Concepts 267 International Environmental Agreements and Associations 281 Appendices 306 Bibliography 307 Cote d `Ivoire Chapter 1 Country Overview Cote d `Ivoire Review 2016 Page 1 of 318 pages Cote d `Ivoire Country Overview COTE D'IVOIRE Cote d'Ivoire, a West African coffee-producing country also known as Ivory Coast, was once regarded as a beacon of stability in Africa. In 2002, Cote d'Ivoire was transformed into conflict- ridden terrain after rebels from the mainly northern part of the country seized control of that region in an attempted coup d'etat. At that time, the country devolved into a crisis in 2002 when the New Forces rebels took control of the northern part of the country. Since then, the country has been divided between supporters of the president in the south and rebels in the north. The plan to disarm the rebels in the north and the pro-Gbagbo militias in the south was largely unsuccessful. French and United Nations troops tasked with keeping the peace between the two sides complained they were not properly provided with resources to do their job effectively. Meanwhile, a transitional government was established to govern affairs with Gbagbo at the helm; however, after Gbagbo's five-year term expired in 2005, there was no fresh election, as promised. The rebels eschewed Gbagbo's extended rule while pro-Gbagbo supporters railed against its imminent end. That said, there were high hopes for a shift in the political landscape following the signing of the 2007 peace accord, which put into place a power-sharing government, as well as plans for disarmament and future elections. This accord was viewed as having a strong chance of success because of the direct involvement of President Gbagbo and former rebel leader, Guillaume Soro, who was now serving as prime minister. The repeatedly delayed elections have been a test of Cote d'Ivoire's emerging political stability. Two rounds of the presidential election took place in 2010. The outcome of the vote was further political chaos as two presidential contenders were sworn into office. The international community overwhelmingly supported opposition candidate, Ouattara, as the rightful winner of the election while incumbent leader, Gbagbo , refused to relinquish power and was backed by the military. A violent state of unrest ensued between the two sides. At the start of 2011, the political uncertainty and insecurity in this West African nation state, gave way to fears of a resumption of civil war and the deaths of thousands of people. Nevertheless, there were hopes that the assumption of power by Ouattara, would shift Cote d'Ivoire in the direction of stability. However, the deaths of seven United Nations peacekeepers in 2012 suggested that Cote D'Ivoire remained vulnerable to political turmoil. Cote d `Ivoire Review 2016 Page 2 of 318 pages Cote d `Ivoire Key Data Key Data Region: Africa Population: 23295302 Tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons- warm and dry Climate: (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October). Languages: French (official); there are also over 70 native languages spoken Currency: 1 CFAF = 100 centimes Holiday: National Day, 7 August Area Total: 322460 Area Land: 318000 Coast Line: 515 Cote d `Ivoire Review 2016 Page 3 of 318 pages Cote d `Ivoire Cote d `Ivoire Country Map Cote d `Ivoire Review 2016 Page 4 of 318 pages Cote d `Ivoire Africa Regional Map Cote d `Ivoire Review 2016 Page 5 of 318 pages Cote d `Ivoire Cote d `Ivoire Review 2016 Page 6 of 318 pages Cote d `Ivoire Chapter 2 Political Overview Cote d `Ivoire Review 2016 Page 7 of 318 pages Cote d `Ivoire History Unlike most of West Africa, little is known of the early history of Côte d'Ivoire. It is thought that a Neolithic culture existed there. France made its initial contact with Côte d'Ivoire in 1637, when missionaries landed at Assinie near the Gold Coast (now Ghana) border. Early contacts were limited to a few missionaries because of the inhospitable coastline and settlers' fear of the inhabitants. In the 18th century, two related ethnic groups invaded the area, the Agnis, who occupied the southeast, and the Baoules, who settled in the central section. In 1843-44, Admiral Bouet- Williaumez signed treaties with the kings of the Grand Bassam and Assinie regions, placing their territories under a French protectorate. French explorers, missionaries, trading companies and soldiers gradually extended the area under French control inland from the lagoon region. Côte d'Ivoire officially became a French colony in 1893. Captain Binger, who had explored the Gold Coast frontier, was named the first governor. He negotiated boundary treaties with Liberia and the United Kingdom (for the Gold Coast), and later started the campaign against Almany Samory, a Malinke chief who fought against the French until 1898. From 1904 to 1958, Côte d'Ivoire was a constituent unit of the Federation of French West Africa. It was a colony and an overseas territory under the French Third Republic. Until the period following World War II, governmental affairs in French West Africa were administered from Paris. France's policy in West Africa was reflected mainly in its philosophy of "association," meaning that all Africans in Côte d'Ivoire were officially French "subjects" without rights to representation in Africa or France. During World War II, the Vichy regime remained in control until 1943, when members of General Charles de Gaulle's provisional government assumed control of all French West Africa. The Brazzaville conference in 1944, the first Constituent Assembly of the Fourth Republic in 1946, and France's gratitude for African loyalty during World War II, led to far-reaching governmental reforms in 1946. French citizenship was granted to all African "subjects," the right to organize politically was recognized, and various forms of forced labor were abolished. A turning point in relations with France was reached with the 1956 Overseas Reform Act (Loi Cote d `Ivoire Review 2016 Page 8 of 318 pages Cote d `Ivoire Cadre), which transferred a number of powers from Paris to elected territorial governments in French West Africa and also removed remaining voting inequalities. In December 1958, Côte d'Ivoire became an autonomous republic within the French community as a result of a referendum providing community status to all members of the old Federation of French West Africa except Guinea, which had voted against association. Côte d'Ivoire became independent on Aug. 7, 1960 and permitted its community membership to lapse Note on History: In certain entries, open source content from the State Department Background Notes and Country Guides have been used. A full listing of sources is available in the Bibliography. Political Conditions The Legacy of Felix Houphouet-Boigny Côte d'Ivoire's contemporary political history is closely associated with the career of Felix Houphouet-Boigny, president of the republic and leader of the "Parti Démocratique de la Côte d'Ivoire" (PDCI). He was one of the founders of the "Rassemblement Démocratique Africain" (RDA), the leading pre-independence inter-territorial political party in the French West African territories (except Mauritania). Houphouet-Boigny first came to political prominence in 1944 as founder of the Syndicat Agricole Africain, an organization that won improved conditions for African farmers and formed a nucleus for the PDCI. After World War II, he was elected by a narrow margin to the first Constituent Assembly. Representing Côte d'Ivoire in the French National Assembly from 1946 to 1959, he devoted much of his effort to inter-territorial political organization and further amelioration of labor conditions. After his 13-year service in the French National Assembly, including almost three years as a minister in the French government, he became Côte d'Ivoire's first prime minister in April 1959. The following year he was elected Côte d'Ivoire's first president. In May 1959, Houphouet-Boigny reinforced his position as a dominant figure in West Africa by leading Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Upper Volta (Burkina) and Dahomey (Benin) into the Council of the Entente, a regional organization promoting economic development.