Côte d'Ivoire: Gbagbo as anti-imperialist hero is mistaken

This research paper argues that former President Laurent Gbagbo's portrayal of himself as an anti-imperialist victim of 'Françafrique' is inaccurate, asserting instead that he was a participant in these networks and benefited from French diplomatic support to secure power.

• Laurent Gbagbo's rise to power in 2000 was facilitated by French diplomatic support at the United Nations and other venues, despite calls from figures like UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to re-run the elections on a more inclusive basis following widespread violence.
• The author contends that Gbagbo was not a victim of a monolithic 'Françafrique' plot, but rather aligned with one of several competing elite networks. The French Socialist Party, despite its anti-imperialist tradition, utilized backroom channels to influence African events similarly to the Gaullists.
• Gbagbo maintained pragmatic relations with French leadership and business interests, evidenced by his willingness to repair ties with Nicolas Sarkozy and the 2008 opening of a new container port in Abidjan by French businessman Vincent Bollore.
• The document concludes that Gbagbo's anti-French rhetoric is a political tool used both while in power and after losing it, and that he has been as much a part of the 'Françafrique' system as his political rivals.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2011). Côte d'Ivoire: Gbagbo as anti-imperialist hero is mistaken. https://saiia.org.za/research/cote-divoire-gbagbo-as-anti-imperialist-hero-is-mistaken/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Côte d'Ivoire: Gbagbo as anti-imperialist hero is mistaken. 2011. https://saiia.org.za/research/cote-divoire-gbagbo-as-anti-imperialist-hero-is-mistaken/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Côte d'Ivoire: Gbagbo as anti-imperialist hero is mistaken |date=21 April 2011 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/cote-divoire-gbagbo-as-anti-imperialist-hero-is-mistaken/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2011cte, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Côte d'Ivoire: Gbagbo as anti-imperialist hero is mistaken}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2011}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/cote-divoire-gbagbo-as-anti-imperialist-hero-is-mistaken/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }