Ivory Coast : Laurent Gbagbo passports are issued, what next ?
In the midst of the election campaign, President Ouattara promised that Laurent Gbagbo passports will be issued.For several weeks, the return of former President Laurent Gbagbo has been feeding the web, and many did not believe President Ouattara’s promise. Immediately after his re-election, several sources have provided information of the effectiveness of the process of establishing Laurent Gbagbo passports. The latter received them on Friday, December 04.
As if that were not enough, we have just learned that former President Laurent Gbagbo is in possession of his Ivorian passports. The announcement was made by our colleagues at RFI.
The good faith of the President ADO
The establishment and issuance of passports is the exclusive responsibility of the State of which one is a national. This means that without the will of the Ivorian authorities and in particular the President ADO, these Laurent Gbagbo passports would never be issued to him. Moreover, the diplomatic passport can only be issued with the express agreement of the Ivorian Head of state Alassane Ouattara. In doing so, President ADO reiterates his commitment and engagement to boost the reconciliation process in Ivory Coast.
According to reports, it was this Friday morning, at 11 a.m., in a large hotel on Avenue Louise in Brussels, that the former Ivorian President was given an ordinary passport and diplomatic passport by two Ivorian diplomats. It is about a special envoy from Abidjan and the Ivory Coast Ambassador to Belgium. So it’s effective.
Is Gbagbo coming soon to Ivory Coast ?
Immediately after his acquittal by the ICC, President Gbagbo expressed his ardent desire to return to his native Ivory Coast. And the only obstacle at the time was the absence of travel documents in this case the passport.
Today, it is done and Laurent Gbagbo could easily return to Ivory Coast. But will his return be so easy for the regime in place ?
As things go, we can say that President ADO and Laurent Gbagbo are turning the black page together on their relationship, in the interest of the Ivorian people. I can’t wait for Laurent Gbagbo passports to be handed over, President Ouattara multiplies stronger and more reassuring actions against the former president who was too humiliated. The same goes for Laurent Gbagbo, who must invest in the search for consensus and peace for a new Ivory Coast.
