INEF/sef: Development and Peace Blog

19.03.2021   Christof Hartmann Elections in Côte d’Ivoire – Towards political stability without democracy

Côte d‘Ivoire has completed another electoral cycle with the recent parliamentary elections. The polls followed the controversial presidential election on 31 October 2020, when incumbent President Alassane Ouattara was confirmed for a third term despite oppositional boycotts and civil society protests. The opposition leaders’ attempt to declare a transitional government the day after the election and their refusal to recognize the president’s legitimacy resulted in some of them being arrested. Their calls for popular resistance or even armed rebellion did not result in substantial mobilization, and by the end of the year, the boycott campaign came to an end. For the first time since 2010, all political parties signalled their willingness to participate in the parliamentary elections, including the supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo.

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19.03.2021   Christof Hartmann Wahlen in der Côte d’Ivoire – Stabilität statt Demokratie

Weitgehend unbemerkt von der deutschen Öffentlichkeit ist im westafrikanischen Côte d’Ivoire Anfang März ein neues Parlament gewählt worden. Die Neubesetzung des politisch wenig bedeutsamen Parlaments folgte auf die Präsidentschaftswahl vom 31.Oktober 2020, bei der sich der bisherige Amtsinhaber Alassane Ouattara trotz des Boykotts der Opposition und zivilgesellschaftlicher Proteste für eine dritte Amtszeit hatte wählen lassen. Die gesellschaftliche Mobilisierung gegen die Präsidentschaftswahl war letztlich erfolglos gewesen. So endete der Fundamentalboykott und bei den Parlamentswahlen am 6. März 2021 schickten nun erstmals alle drei etablierten Parteien ihre Kandidatinnen und Kandidaten ins Rennen. In der Geschichte des Landes war dies erst zweimal geschehen, 1995 und 2010. Warum lohnt sich ein näherer Blick auf die Wahl und ihre Umstände?

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15.03.2021   Arne Rieber “Rush on miraa” - The development dilemma of khat cultivation in the Mount Kenya region

The cultivation of khat is an increasingly politicised topic in Kenya, affecting trade, foreign affairs and local politics. Only recently, Somalia, the largest importer of Kenyan khat, ended a ban on khat imports from Kenya. The conflict between the two countries dates back to 2016, when then Meru County governor Peter Munya travelled to Somaliland, hoping to tap a new market for Kenyan khat traders in return for recognising Somaliland. For now, the conflict seems to be solved at the diplomatic level. The effects of such diplomatic turmoil are, however, most significantly felt by the many khat producing farmers.

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The Development and Peace blog is operated by the Institute for Development and Peace (INEF) and the Development and Peace Foundation (sef:). On this blog, international authors regularly share their perspectives on development and peace issues worldwide.