Can the Ouagadougou Agreement Bring Peace?
Africa Report N°127 27 Jun 2007 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS The peace agreement signed in Ouagadougou by Laurent Gbagbo and Guillaume Soro on 4 March 2007 is a major turning point in resolving Côte d’Ivoire’s armed conflict but is only a first step in the right direction. It is now essential that all Ivorians who want long-term peace work together to ensure the transitional government effectively delivers identity documents to all citizens, collects all weapons still held by militias, embarks on comprehensive security sector reform and provides a credible election process. The international community stopped Côte d’Ivoire from descending into chaos for four years and must maintain its military, political and financial commitment. The peace process should not be driven only by the ambitions of the men who signed the Ouagadougou Agreement but also by the aim of building lasting peace in Côte d’Ivoire, which is essential for stability throughout West Africa. Hope was revived whe
