Ouattara sworn in for fourth term as Ivory Coast president

By : AFP

Date: 8 December 2025 2:06pm WAT

Share :

(FILES) Ivory coast president Alassane Ouattara arrives to attend the opening session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said July 29, 2025 he will seek a fourth term in Ivory Coast's October 2025 election, as tensions rise over the exclusion of many heavyweight opposition candidates. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP)

(FILES) Ivory coast president Alassane Ouattara arrives to attend the opening session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said July 29, 2025 he will seek a fourth term in Ivory Coast's October 2025 election, as tensions rise over the exclusion of many heavyweight opposition candidates. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP)

President Alassane Ouattara, 83, was on Monday sworn in for a fourth term as leader of Ivory Coast, after elections in which his two main opponents were excluded from the ballot.

Ouattara was reelected with nearly 90 percent of the vote in the October 25 election — though turnout in the west African nation was a relatively low 50.1 percent.

The president, who has led Ivory Coast since a violently disputed election in 2010, vowed to “loyally defend the constitution” at his inauguration.

Leaders from 11 African countries attended the ceremony, as well as former leaders such as Niger’s Mahamadou Issoufou.

Former colonial ruler France, which maintains good relations with Ivory Coast, was represented by National Assembly Speaker Yael Braun-Pivet.

The United States sent Jacob Helberg, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, who was due to meet with Ouattara in the afternoon.

Ouattara’s two main opponents, Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, were excluded from the ballot — Gbagbo due to a criminal conviction and Thiam over nationality issues.

Neither politician attended the ceremony.

Tags: