Skip to main content

Written question asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Non-affiliated) on Monday, 22 February 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 March 2021. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Monday, 8 March 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.


Côte d'Ivoire: Politics and Government

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) economic, (2) humanitarian, and (3) political, situation in Cote d’Ivoire.

Answer

Côte d'Ivoire is one of the world's fastest growing economies, despite a slowdown in growth in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is listed as number 41 on the World Bank Index and its Annual Growth Rate was 6.2% in 2020. The UK Government is working with the Government of Côte d'Ivoire on the implementation of our Economic Partnership Agreement, signed in October 2020. The agreement will allow businesses to trade without any additional barriers or tariffs. The humanitarian situation in the country remains stable, but a large number of Ivoirians continue to live below the poverty line.

In October 2020, thousands of Ivoirian refugees crossed into neighbouring countries following violence around the presidential elections. The UK Government condemned the electoral violence and supported Ivoirians' right to demonstrate and protest peacefully. The Minister for Africa issued statements on 30 October and 5 November 2020 urging all parties to refrain from spreading disinformation, hate messages and inciting violence. Alongside international partners, we called for genuine political dialogue between all parties in order to resolve outstanding differences and ensure peace and stability for all Ivoirians. The legislative elections on 6 March are on track to take place in a more inclusive environment, with ongoing political dialogue and participation by opposition parties.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL13461
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Economic situation Politics and government Côte d'Ivoire Humanitarian situation
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk