Ivory Coast hands over bodies of post-election violence victims to families

On 9 March 2023, a street in Ivory Coast was photographed by AFP as the bodies of 47 victims of the 2010‑2011 post‑election violence were handed over to their families. The handover formed part of the national reconciliation process launched by President Alassane Ouattara. Ouattara’s victory in the presidential election had been contested by the outgoing Laurent Gbagbo, triggering several months of violence that claimed around 3,000 lives on both sides. Each family also received €2,200 (approximately $2,300) in compensation from the government.

At a ceremony in the western town of Blolequin, Kouadio Konan Bertin, the minister of national reconciliation, declared, “Today, we have come to heal our wounds and turn the page on war.” Ivorian NGOs praised the development as “an important step forward,” while urging stronger efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. The return of Gbagbo to the country in 2021 and his acquittal by the International Criminal Court have helped ease political tensions.

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