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

The author contends that Laurent Gbagbo's claims of being a victim of French imperialism are contradicted by historical evidence. The text highlights that Gbagbo's rise to power in 2000 was supported by French diplomatic efforts and that he maintained pragmatic business and political ties with various French factions, including the Gaullists and the Socialist Party, throughout his presidency.

• Laurent Gbagbo's ascent to power following the 2000 elections was facilitated by French diplomatic support within the United Nations and other forums, despite calls from figures like Kofi Annan to re-run the elections on a more inclusive basis.
• The author argues that Gbagbo was not a victim of a monolithic "Françafrique" plot, but rather aligned with one of several competing elite blocks within French-African networks, specifically the French Socialist Party.
• Despite his anti-French rhetoric, Gbagbo maintained pragmatic relations with French leadership and business; for example, French businessman Vincent Bollore opened a new container port in Abidjan in April 2008.
• The document concludes that Gbagbo's use of anti-French rhetoric is a political tool used both while in power and after losing it, and that he was 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} }