Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire has made remarkable strides in democratic governance and economic development since the end of the 2002 civil war and the 2011 post-election crisis. The 2016 constitution, approved through a national referendum, introduced substantial reforms aimed at strengthening good governance, protecting human rights, and decentralizing power. Despite these advances, the country has yet to experience a peaceful transfer of executive power. Additionally, rising citizen disillusionment with political processes, concerns over electoral integrity, deep-rooted gender inequality, and persistent political, regional, and ethnic tensions pose risks to Côte d'Ivoire's aspirations for inclusive, transparent, and peaceful elections. It is in this context that the country is preparing for a series of crucial elections, including direct presidential elections in 2025, National Assembly elections in 2026, municipal and regional assembly elections in 2028, and indirect Senate elections in 2028.
Against this backdrop, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is implementing the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Supporting Inclusive Elections and Civic Leadership (SIECLE) project in Côte d'Ivoire. The SIECLE project is part of the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) and is carried out in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Internews, and local civil society organizations. This five-year program, which began in July 2024, will run through 2029.
Under the SIECLE project, IFES focuses on enhancing three key pillars of electoral democracy: supporting the transparency and accountability of the Independent Electoral Commission of Côte d'Ivoire (CEI), strengthening the resilience of the CEI and promoting the inclusion of women and youth in political participation. Specifically, IFES is working with the CEI to strengthen its strategic and operational planning capabilities and to develop an inclusion strategy, which involves a plan for inclusive voter education campaigns. IFES will also collaborate with the CEI to develop a communications strategy with a particular focus on information integrity and enhancing the CEI's capacity for crisis communication. Additionally, IFES will utilize its iEXCEL leadership curriculum and industry leading BRIDGE training modules to build the electoral leadership capacity of CEI commissioners. To further support inclusive and innovative voter education (VE) campaigns, IFES will also provide microgrants to local civil society actors, with an emphasis on encouraging greater participation from women and youth.
Before IFES reopened its office in 2024, IFES maintained a presence in Côte d’Ivoire from 2006-2017, primarily focused on providing technical support to the CEI, facilitating stakeholder communication, and engaging Ivoirian citizens in the electoral process.
