Côte d’Ivoire: The Spectre of Warlordism

The author argues that the political crisis in Côte d’Ivoire exhibits characteristics of 'warlordism,' a pattern of violent political entrepreneurship previously seen in Liberia and Sierra Leone. This pattern is defined by the recruitment of informal militias, the use of mystical or religious discourse to mobilize frustrated youth, the exploitation of historical communal grievances, and connections to illicit international business networks. The document warns that President Laurent Gbagbo is increasingly adopting these warlord characteristics, utilizing state institutions while simultaneously undermining them, which increases the risk of a protracted civil war similar to those in neighboring states.

• Warlordism in West Africa is characterized by three primary traits: the mobilization of supporters through religious or mystical notions of "spiritual renewal" or "adventure," the exploitation of historical communal grievances and the "politics of resentment" to incite conflict, and the maintenance of connections to both licit and illicit international business networks.
• The document identifies specific figures exhibiting warlord characteristics in the 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.
• President Laurent Gbagbo is described as increasingly resembling a warlord by combining conventional political maneuvers with the control of informal mechanisms, such as recruiting militias, utilizing informal economic networks, and employing a discourse of spiritual cleansing.
• There is a significant risk that Côte d’Ivoire could enter a protracted conflict similar to the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, which lasted fourteen and twelve years respectively, as warlord politics tend to become self-sustaining.

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} }