Former Ivory Coast Prime Minister Plans Return Despite Convictions

Guillaume Soro, the former Prime Minister of Ivory Coast, announced his intention to return home despite facing two criminal convictions. Soro, who has been in self-imposed exile since December 2019, expressed his desire to go back to Ivory Coast, citing the difficulty of living far from his ancestral land in Africa. He stated that he aims to contribute to the reconciliation of the country.

In 2021, an Ivorian court sentenced Soro in absentia to life imprisonment for undermining national security, while in the previous year, he received a 20-year sentence on charges related to the embezzlement of public funds. Soro contested the allegations, emphasising that he is “guilty of no crime.” He revealed that an attempted arrest occurred at a Turkish airport on November 3, with an extradition attempt to Ivory Coast.

Although Soro did not specify the date of his return, he had previously announced his intention to run in Ivory Coast’s 2025 presidential elections in May. His earlier bid for the presidency in the 2020 elections was thwarted by a Constitutional Court ruling. Soro, a former leader of a rebel group in northern Ivory Coast during the early 2000s, was a key ally of current President Alassane Ouattara.

Soro played a crucial role in providing military support to Ouattara during a power struggle against then-President Laurent Gbagbo following a dispute over the 2010 election results, leading to a brief civil war. The conflict resulted in nearly 3,000 casualties and concluded with Gbagbo’s capture in April 2011. Afterward, Soro became prime minister and national assembly speaker under President Ouattara.

However, their relationship soured in 2019 when President Ouattara accused Soro of instigating a “civilian and military insurrection,” leading to Soro’s exile. Despite the legal challenges awaiting him in Ivory Coast, Soro remains determined to return and play a role in the country’s political landscape.

Kiki Garba

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