아프리카ㆍ중동

In western Africa, the prevalence of conflict is coming to an end: after the worst political turmoil in Liberia and Sierra Leone, it's now the turn of Cote d’Ivoire which is experimenting a power-sharing solution on the low-key but protracted ethnic conflict since 1999. The severe discrimination against Northerners - descendants of immigrants from neighbouring countries, represented mainly by Alassane Ouattara, former Prime minister under Houphouët-Boigny's rule - by Ivorian authorities composed of Southerners was central to the rebels' cause when their uprising split the country in two in 2002. Owing to french military intervention at first and later to UN peace-keeping forces, the transitional government - formed as part of a new peace accord signed in March 2007 - is preparing to launch a social integration process starting from dismantling of rebel forces. Nomination of William Soro, Northerners' rebel leader as Prime minister by President Gbagbo is thus engendering a hope for a firm nation-building. Reunification of this cocoa-rich country will surely accelerate democratization process, but the peaceful future of the country is anyhow up to the presidential elections, which are expected by early 2008.