Alassane Ouattara was sworn in for a fourth term as Ivory Coast’s president on Monday after securing a sweeping victory in October’s election.
The oath was administered by Constitutional Council head Chantal Nanaba Camara at the presidential palace in Abidjan, witnessed by several African leaders and US Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg.
Ouattara, 83, won a new five-year mandate with 89.77% of the vote and pledged to confront deepening security risks and persistent economic pressures.
He has ruled since 2011 and often presents himself as a guardian of youth welfare despite mounting criticism over inequality and rising living costs.
Opposition leaders accuse his government of neglecting social grievances while pursuing constitutional reforms that strengthened his grip on power.
Ouattara removed presidential term limits in 2016 and secured a third term in 2020 with more than 94% of the vote.
Monday’s ceremony drew a broad slate of African presidents, including João Lourenço of Angola, Ghana’s John Dramani Mahama and Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Leaders from Djibouti, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, the Gambia, Liberia and the Republic of Congo also attended, signalling strong regional interest in Ivory Coast’s political direction.
This year’s election unfolded amid simmering tensions after several prominent opposition figures were barred from competing, igniting protests in the country’s southern opposition strongholds.
Former President Laurent Gbagbo was excluded due to a criminal conviction, while ex-Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam was disqualified over dual nationality.
