Côte d’Ivoire, once marred by post-election violence and deep political divisions, has emerged as a compelling case study for the role of mediation in fostering peaceful democratic processes.

From the 2010-2011 post-election crisis that claimed thousands of lives to the relatively calmer 2020 elections, the journey has been marked by concerted national and international mediation efforts.

Mediation — when conducted inclusively and impartially — has the potential to not only prevent violence but also build long-term trust among stakeholders. But how effective have these efforts been in the Ivorian context? And what lessons can be drawn ahead of the 2025 presidential elections?

In today’s edition of Citizens Hour debates, we focus on the Topic: “Can Effective Mediation Initiatives Guarantee Peaceful Elections? A Case Study of Côte d’Ivoire.

Our guests are David Morgan ASSOGBA METONDJI, the Director, MORGAN TRAINING, a consultancy firm which deals in capacity building and geopolitics, and the author of the book Making an ECOWAS of the people a reality.

Our second guest is DENIS NDOUR, the Vice-Président of -Senegalese Human Rights League.