Côte d’Ivoire: The Spectre of Warlordism

This research paper examines the political crisis in Côte d’Ivoire through the lens of 'warlordism,' a phenomenon previously seen in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The author argues that the characteristics of violent political entrepreneurs—including the use of mystical discourse, the exploitation of communal grievances, and the use of illicit international networks—are emerging within Côte d’Ivoire, specifically noting the behavior of militia leaders and President Laurent Gbagbo.

• The author identifies three primary characteristics of warlords in the West African region: the mobilization of followers through 'spiritual renewal' or mystical terms to gain legitimacy and instill fear; the exploitation of historical communal grievances and 'politics of resentment' to pit ethnic groups against one another; and the maintenance of connections to both licit and illicit international business networks.
• The document suggests that President Laurent Gbagbo is exhibiting the traits of a warlord by utilizing state institutions while simultaneously employing informal warlord mechanisms, such as recruiting militias, using informal economic networks, and adopting a discourse of spiritual cleansing.
• The paper warns that Côte d’Ivoire risks a protracted conflict similar to those in Liberia and Sierra Leone, which lasted fourteen and twelve years respectively, noting that warlord politics and 'nomad wars' often become self-sustaining.
• The author cites specific examples of figures exhibiting warlord characteristics in the sub-region, including Charles Taylor in Liberia, Foday Sankoh in Sierra Leone, Dadis Camara in Guinea (2008-2009), and Pasteur Gammi, leader of the pro-Gbagbo Miloci militia in Western Côte d’Ivoire.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2011). Côte d’Ivoire: The Spectre of Warlordism. https://saiia.org.za/research/cote-divoire-the-spectre-of-warlordism/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Côte d’Ivoire: The Spectre of Warlordism. 2011. https://saiia.org.za/research/cote-divoire-the-spectre-of-warlordism/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Côte d’Ivoire: The Spectre of Warlordism |date=31 March 2011 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/cote-divoire-the-spectre-of-warlordism/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2011cte, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Côte d’Ivoire: The Spectre of Warlordism}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2011}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/cote-divoire-the-spectre-of-warlordism/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }