History of the Ivory Coast - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

The Histoire of the Ivory Coast former to the first contacts with the Européens is almost unknown. These first contacts remained limited with only some European missionaries to the 16th century. A Neolithic culture existed however, but is badly known by a lack of discovered archaeological.

Pre-colonial history

See also: pre-colonial History of the Ivory Coast

The settlement of the south is attested as of the threshold of our era even if research is made difficult by l humidity of the climate. The territory was strewn by people of Sudanese languages, divided into many chefferies. Among the oldest populations one counts Krus in South-west, (come from current the Liberia) and then Sénoufos in the North-East (come from current the Mali). The north of the country will be under the influence of the kingdoms sahéliens (Songhai, Ghana) c´est in context which the widespread Islam either by tradesmen will arrive, in particular of the hawkers dioula, or by the Djihad carried out by armies to horse. Commercial cities like Kong or Bondoukou will become of true thereafter city-States bond between savanna and the forest. However the populations did not know the Private property and did not seek to delimit their territory. Their culture were marked by a tradition theatrical, oral, musical, of dance and the belief in the magic.

The first Europeans to penetrate the country are the Portuguese navigators while going along the African coasts, with the research of the road towards the India. They baptize the country " Coast of malicious the hommes" or " Coast of Ivoire" according to the reception made by the populations. Europeans are initially struck by the demographic force of the Blacks. The trade of the Ivory, the rifle S and the Traite Blacks are set up quickly. The ports of San Pedro, Sassandra or Fresco preserved the names of Portuguese sailors. The British slave traders are also present. The first contact with the France date of 1637, when missionary S unload with Assinie, close to the Coast-with-the Or (current Ghana). But there was no establishment, the coast being inhospitable. Hunting for the slaves with l interior was carried out not by the White but by the Blacks themselves. Nevertheless Europeans did not n´hésitèrent with launching military forwardings to replace the suzerains réclacitrants in their connection.

18th Century

At the 18th century the area is invaded by two cousins groups of Akans: Agnis in south-east and the Baoulés in the center. The explorers, missionaries, tradesmen and soldiers gradually extended the territory under French control starting from the area of the lagoon. However colonization was not completed before 1915.

French colonization

The Coast-D' Ivory became officially a French Colonie the March 10th 1893. The Binger captain, who started from Dakar to rejoin Kong, where it met Louis Marie Marcel Treich-Laplène (a clerk of Arthur Verdier), was the first governor. The capital was with Large-Bassam. It negotiated frontier treaties with the the United Kingdom (for the Liberia) and later began a campaign which lasted until in 1898 against Samory Touré, a Guinean malinké warlike chief.

Of 1904 with 1958, the country is included in the Federation of the French African west called French Western Africa (AOF). It was a colony and a Overseas territory during the Third Republic. Until the period following the Second world war, the governmental businesses are characterized by the association which made inhabitants of the colonies of the prone French without right of representation. Its capital is Bingerville until in 1933, then Abidjan.

During the Second world war, the Mode of Vichy guard the control of the territory until in 1943, when GPRF took the control of the AOF. The Conference of Brazzaville in 1944, the first constituent assembly of 1946 and the gratitude of France for the honesty of the Africans pushed with reforms as from 1946. The French citizenship was granted to the African subjects, the right to organize itself politically was recognized to them, and the Forced labor was abolished by the law of the April 11th 1946, suggested by Felix Houphouët-Boigny.

In 1956, the Loi tallies of reform of the overseas decided transfer of many capacities of Paris worms of the local authorities and a greater standardization of the conditions of vote.

Independence

Stages

In December 1958, the Ivory Coast becomes an autonomous republic by the Référendum, which creates the French Community between France and its old colonies. With this autonomy the Coast was not to share any more its richnesses with the other poor colonies of the Sahel, the buget of l administration of the Ivory Coast increased thus by 152%. The August 7th 1960 independence takes effect. The country remains however very related to France:

its currency is directed by the Banque de France, by the means of the monetary union of Western Africa (CFA franc);
of many French investments makes the economy of the Ivory Coast dependant on France.

The Houphouët-Boigny era

The president-founder is Felix Houphouët-Boigny. It remained it with life, being based on its sole party, the Democratic party of Ivory Coast (PDCI). It is also one of the founders of the African democratic Rassemblement (GDR), political party of before independence for all French Western Africa (excluded the Mauritania).

It begins its career in 1944 by melting the African Agricultural trade union, which was the core of the PDCI. After the Second world war, he is elected of one small majority to the first constituent Assembly. He represents then the Ivory Coast with the National Assembly of 1946 with 1959, devoting himself primarily to the inter-territorial political organizations within the AOF, and to the improvement of the work conditions. He is also Minister for the Republic three years during.

He becomes the first Prime Minister of the Ivory Coast in April 1959, and in 1960 is elected president. He is then constantly re-elected five years in five years as from 1965. Its sole party, the PDCI-RDA, occupies all the seats of the National Assembly.

Foreign policy

In May 1959, Felix Houphouët-Boigny creates the Council of the agreement with the Niger, the the Upper Volta (Burkina Faso), the Togo, and the Dahomey (Bénin), organization of economic development. He affirms that the only way for African solidarity is progressive economic development and the political co-operation, recognizing the principle of non-intervention in the internal businesses of the African States.

April 21st, 1961, it signs an agreement of military aid with France. This agreement is also signed by Dahomey and Mali.

Interior policy of Houphouët-Boigny

Under African outside wise, solving the problems by the discussion, Felix Houphouët-Boigny broke his opponents thanks to the system of the false plots. It repressed in blood several regional revolts, like that of the Ethnie Bété in 1970. On another side, it was combined with the executives country, while enabling them to draw the benefit from the development of the country.

In 1964, the Polygamie is abolished.

The years 1970 with 1985 were calmer, thanks to the political skill of the president, who bought his opponents, and thanks to the good economic situation. The degradation of this one, during the Years 1980, caused an agitation coed, the revolt of barons of the mode and the birth of a clandestine opposition. The demonstrations coeds of the February 9th 1982 reveal in Laurent Gbagbo a leader of opinion (the prohibition of one of its conferences is the immediate cause of the movement), which founds the Popular front of the Ivory Coast (FPI), and is exiled in France.

March 21st, 1983, Yamoussoukro becomes the capital of Ivory Coast.

Houphouët-Boigny however prepared, at the end of the reign, the way towards democratization in 1990 by some reforms:

the political parties are authorized on May 5th (14 are formed);
for the first time, there are two candidates with the presidential election: Laurent Gbagbo obtains 18% of the voices;
and of the pluralist elections, where in particular Burkinabe foreigners are voters, takes place: the PDCI has 175 seats, against 8 with the FPI.

In spite of these projections, Laurent Gbagbo is arrested after the demonstrations coeds of February 1992, and is imprisoned a few months.

Felix Houphouët-Boigny dies the December 7th 1993.

Successors

Its successors were:

Henri Konan Bédié, deputy, who lost the capacity at the time of a putsch with Christmas 1999.
the general Robert Guéï, who is assassinated at the time of the putsch missed of the patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast in 2002.
Laurent Gbagbo, victorious of the elections of 2000, and carried to the capacity by the demonstrators in front of the refusal of Guéï to recognize the result of the elections.

Konan Bédié is president temporary as a president of the National Assembly, then elected on October 22nd, 1995 with 96,44% of the voices, all the other candidates except one having boycotted the elections.

Robert Guéï proclaims victorious elections of October 2000, from which Alassane Ouattara is excluded because it imposing electoral code to prove its ascent of the Ivory Coast of father and mother. Demonstrations mixing the people and the army impose Laurent Gbagbo, whose electoral victory is recognized. Its party, the FPI, gains legislative December with 96 seats (98 with the PDCI).

The crisis of the ivoirity and the civil war

See the detailed article: Civil war of Ivory Coast

However, the definition of the citizenship, known as crisis of the ivoirity , and the crises which it causes (of which those of the property, the law expecting that only a Man from the Ivory Coast can buy or sell a real estate), lead to the coup attempt of State of the September 19th 2002. Although this attempt failed, a rebellion (which takes the name of new Forces) is formed in the north of the country, and occupies soon 60% of the territory.

The France interposes, officially pursuant to agreements of defense (sending of the Force Unicorn). The situation is stabilized, and in January 2003, the whole of the political clouts of the Ivory Coast, rebellious included/understood, negotiate in France with Linas - Marcoussis in order to put an end to the crisis. They are the Accords Kléber (signed which occurred Kléber in Paris), more known under the name of agreements of Marcoussis. As of its return to Abidjan, Laurent Gbagbo calls them into question, although it initially makes them apply. A government of reconciliation, bringing together representatives of all the parties, is set up. The political climate however continues to be polluted by the endemic violence, maintained by the militia (of which those of the Young patriots), covered by the government.

In front of slownesses of the implementation of the Agreements, new meetings take place with Accra during the summer 2004, which start again the process of GDR (Disarmament, Démobilisation, Réintégration). However, the disarmament of the rebels cannot take place in October, the political counterpart (modification of the constitution, in particular) not having been installation.

At the beginning of November, the governmental forces launch an offensive against the rebels, and are also caught some with the French troops of the Licorne force which are the target of air shootings on behalf of the army of the Ivory Coast, and make ten victims among the French soldiers. In reprisals, France destroys the air forces of the Ivory Coast and evacuates its nationals. Members of the Young patriots gather in front of the Tower Ivory in Abidjan and, for not elucidated reasons, the French troops open fire on several occasions. The International federation of the human rights estimates that these shootings will make 60 dead and 1.000 wounded, the majority caused by the scuffles.

In December, president Laurent Gbagbo engages the reform process of the constitution at the time when several reports/ratios appear on the events of November.

Following the qualifiquation of the national team of football for the world cup 2006, all the players, themselves resulting from several ethnos groups different from the country, call at the end of the civil war and the return to a state of calm.

Militia

The civil war supported the appearance of armed militia, which took the control of part of the territory of the Ivory Coast. In addition to the Young patriots in Abidjan, one can also evoke the Scorpions guetteurs, which prevail with Yamoussoukro and its surroundings. They are directed by Zambi Antoine Ansèlme, and are shown many removals and assassinations, in addition to the daily racket.

External bonds

Official site of the FPI
Official site of the RDR

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