Political relations

We welcome the Ivorian government’s announcement of a date for the first round of the presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire, set for 29 November 2009 at the last Council of Ministers.

The holding of free, transparent, fair elections in Côte d’Ivoire has always been a priority for France, as for the international community.

All the political players must work more actively than ever to ensure that these elections take place as smoothly as possible. The Cadre permanent de concertation(1) meeting scheduled for 18 May in Ouagadougou will allow the various players to confirm their commitment in this respect.

We are encouraging all the Ivorian parties to redouble their efforts to complete the identification process and the different phases leading to the poll.

France stands by all the Ivorian political players in their efforts to ensure the holding of the election which is necessary for lasting peace and stability in Côte d’Ivoire.