Executive branch: chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000); note - took power following a popular overthrow of the interim leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious victory in presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed power on 25 December 1999, following a military coup against the government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE head of government: Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Development Affi N'GUESSAN (since 27 October 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other 2.2%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election in 2005 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers:
Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,
Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative
Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of members
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African
Democratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular
Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis
WODIE]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for
Democracy and Peace or UDPCI [Gen. Robert GUEI]; over 20 smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB
(regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Youssoufou BAMBA chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Arlene RENDER embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan mailing address:
B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01 telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79 FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France
Economy Cote d'Ivoire