Overview
- Voters head to the polls on Saturday with 8.7 million registered and ECOWAS observers deployed across the country.
- Operation Hope has put 44,000 security personnel on duty and banned protests, with police reporting hundreds of arrests and one death during pre‑election unrest.
- Key rivals Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam were disqualified, leaving figures such as Simone Gbagbo and Jean‑Louis Billon in the race as analysts expect a first‑round Ouattara victory.
- Abidjan slowed on the campaign’s final day as shops closed over fears of trouble, even as officials emphasize stability after past election violence.
- Mining companies have stockpiled fuel and chemicals and repositioned staff as a precaution, reflecting both election uncertainty and a sector that has grown to over 58 tons of gold output in 2024.