“Reconciliation is a long-term process, not an event”

Two years after The Elders' first visit to Côte d'Ivoire in May 2011, in the aftermath of a post-electoral crisis in which an estimated 3,000 people were killed, Kofi Annan returned to Abidjan in October 2013 to assess progress towards reconciliation and the remaining challenges facing the country.

Côte d'Ivoire’s economic recovery has been rapid, with growth nearing double digit figures and the development of infrastructure in the economic capital Abidjan.
This market in the impoverished neighbourhood of Adjamé is now thriving again, having come to a standstill at the height of the 2010-11 post-electoral violence.
"I hope that everybody can enjoy the dividends of economic growth, especially young people who are struggling to find jobs," Kofi Annan said during his visit.

Following a meeting at the presidential palace, Mr Annan said he was “impressed by the dedication of President Alassane Ouattara and his government to bring the country back on track."

Kofi Annan met former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan in Abidjan. Now an opposition leader as President of the Front Populaire Ivoirien, Mr Affi N'Guessan was released on bail in August, along with 13 other aides to former President Laurent Gbagbo, after more than two years of detention.
The Elders met Laurent Gbagbo during their last visit in May 2011. Then under house arrest after refusing to accept his defeat in the November 2010 presidential election, he is now in custody at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, awaiting the confirmation of charges for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the four months of post-electoral violence.

During his visit, Mr Annan encouraged Ivorians to step up their efforts towards reconciliation.
He discussed the reconciliation process with Charles Konan Banny, President of the Commission on Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation. The creation of the Commission was announced during the Elders' last visit in May 2011, and its mandate expired in September 2013, shortly before Mr Annan returned to Abidjan.

Mr Annan also met with civil society representatives and human rights activists. Acknowledging the challenges facing the reconciliation process, he said:
“We have heard disappointments. But reconciliation is a long-term process, not an event. For it to succeed, everyone must be committed. Both government and opposition should understand that compromises are necessary. The past can’t be forgotten but I encourage my Ivorian sisters and brothers to work together and look forward to the future. They all have a responsibility to play their full part in building a genuinely cohesive and inclusive Côte d’Ivoire.”

Minister of the Interior Hamed Bakayoko and other members of the government briefed Mr Annan on the security situation and the challenges facing the justice system after a decade of conflict.
Concluding his visit, Mr Annan urged all parties in Côte d’Ivoire to work towards peaceful elections in 2015:
“Preparations for those elections must begin immediately. Tomorrow begins today. The next elections must not become a trigger for a new conflict. Everyone should learn from past mistakes and ensure that the next elections are conducted with integrity.”