Cote d'Ivoire at crossroads of war and peace
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The presidents of Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde were expected in Cote d'Ivoire on Tuesday in a bid to end Abidjan's political deadlock with two presidents ruling the single country.
A number of global and regional organizations have urged incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo to cede power and even warned of military intervention, but Gbagbo have so far refused to back down.
Against such a tense backdrop, observers said that the West African country might slide into a more dangerous situation should no breakthrough be achieved soon.
Gbagbo under mounting pressure
Cote d'Ivoire has been mired in a political stalemate and deadly violence since its presidential run-off on Nov. 28, after which both Gbagbo and opposition leader Alassane Ouattara were sworn in as president.
In the wake of the inconclusive election, Ouattara has received lopsided support of the international community, while Gbagbo have come under increasing pressure.
On Thursday, the West African Economic and Monetary Union decided at a special ministerial meeting to require West African central banks not to offer service for the Gbagbo camp, and the United Nations recognized the Ouattara camp's special representative to the international body.
A day later, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened an extraordinary summit in Nigeria and decided to dispatch a special delegation to Cote d'Ivoire to persuade Gbagbo to step down.
Meanwhile, both the African Union and ECOWAS have suspended Abidjan's membership, and the World Bank have halted offering loans for Cote d'Ivoire. Gbagbo and his family have also been under increasing travel bans.
On Monday, the African Union commissioned Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga to help break the deadlock. Observers said that Odinga's involvement gave Gbagbo another turn of the screw, as Odinga became prime minister after a similar standoff with sitting President Mwai Kibaki and has unequivocally demand Gbagbo to yield.
However, the Ouattara government is now confined in a hotel, unable to effectively mobilize its supporters, and only a tiny segment of the public have followed its call for a nationwide strike until Gbagbo cedes power.
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