European Asylum Support Office Côte d’Ivoire Country Focus Country of Origin Information Report June 2019 SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION European Asylum Support Office Côte d’Ivoire Country Focus Country of Origin Information Report June 2019 More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). ISBN: 978-92-9476-993-0 doi: 10.2847/055205 © European Asylum Support Office (EASO) 2019 Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged, unless otherwise stated. For third-party materials reproduced in this publication, reference is made to the copyrights statements of the respective third parties. Cover photo: © Mariam Dembélé, Abidjan (December 2016) CÔTE D’IVOIRE: COUNTRY FOCUS - EASO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT — 3 Acknowledgements EASO acknowledges as the co-drafters of this report: Italy, Ministry of the Interior, National Commission for the Right of Asylum, International and EU Affairs, COI unit Switzerland, State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Division Analysis The following departments reviewed this report, together with EASO: France, Office Français de Protection des Réfugiés et Apatrides (OFPRA), Division de l'Information, de la Documentation et des Recherches (DIDR) Norway, Landinfo The Netherlands, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Office for Country of Origin Information and Language Analysis (OCILA) Dr Marie Miran-Guyon, Lecturer at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), researcher, and author of numerous publications on the country reviewed this report. It must be noted that the review carried out by the mentioned departments, experts or organisations contributes to the overall quality of the report, but does not necessarily imply their formal endorsement of the final report, which is the full responsibility of EASO. 4 — CÔTE D’IVOIRE: COUNTRY FOCUS - EASO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 3 Contents .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Disclaimer................................................................................................................................................ 6 Glossary and Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 10 Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 10 Defining the terms of reference ................................................................................................... 10 Collecting information .................................................................................................................. 10 Quality control .............................................................................................................................. 10 Structure of the report ..................................................................................................................... 10 Map ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 1. Ethnic groups .................................................................................................................................... 13 1.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 13 1.1.1 Constitutional framework ................................................................................................... 13 1.1.2 Languages ............................................................................................................................ 14 1.1.3 Religions .............................................................................................................................. 14 1.2 Geographical location of ethnic groups...................................................................................... 15 1.2.1 Dioula .................................................................................................................................. 16 1.3 Conflicts involving specific ethnic groups ................................................................................... 17 2. Recent History ................................................................................................................................... 20 2.1 Houphouët-Boigny’s presidency (1960 – 1993) ......................................................................... 20 2.2 Bédié’s presidency and the birth of Ivoirité (1993 – 1999) ........................................................ 20 2.3 Military coup and election of Laurent Gbagbo (1999 – 2002) ................................................... 21 2.4 First Ivorian crisis (2002-2010): a divided country ..................................................................... 22 2.5 The post-electoral crisis (2010-2011) ......................................................................................... 24 2.5.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................. 24 2.5.2 Actors in the conflict ........................................................................................................... 26 2.6 Ouattara’s presidency ................................................................................................................. 27 2.6.1 Ouattara’s first term ............................................................................................................ 27 2.6.2 Ouattara’s second term ...................................................................................................... 28 3. Political situation ............................................................................................................................... 29 3.1 General overview ........................................................................................................................ 29 CÔTE D’IVOIRE: COUNTRY FOCUS - EASO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT — 5 3.2 Political parties ........................................................................................................................... 33 3.2.1 The main political parties and alliances .............................................................................. 35 3.2.2 Senatorial election .............................................................................................................. 43 3.2.3 National reconciliation ........................................................................................................ 44 3.2.4 Situation of Gbagbo supporters .......................................................................................... 46 4. Security situation .............................................................................................................................. 53 4.1 General security situation........................................................................................................... 53 4.1.1 Minors in conflict with the law (so-called microbes) .......................................................... 53 4.1.2 Challenges related to the defence forces ........................................................................... 57 4.1.3 Terrorism ............................................................................................................................. 65 4.2 Security situation in the west of Côte d’Ivoire ........................................................................... 66 4.2.1 Land disputes ...................................................................................................................... 67 5. Specific human rights issues ............................................................................................................. 73 5.1 General overview ........................................................................................................................ 73 5.1.1 Prisons ................................................................................................................................. 73 5.1.2 Corruption ........................................................................................................................... 73 5.1.3 Freedom of press ................................................................................................................ 75 5.1.4 Freedom of association, of religion, of expression ............................................................. 76 5.1.5 People with disabilities ........................................................................................................ 76 5.2 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender persons (LGBT) ........................................................... 77 5.3 Women: violence, domestic violence, FGM/C, forced and early marriage ................................ 79 5.3.1 Sexual violence .................................................................................................................... 80 5.3.2 Domestic violence ..............................................................................................................