News / Africa

Ivory Coast Sets October 31 Election Date

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Ivory Coast's prime minister says the country will hold elections, delayed since 2005, on October 31.

Guillaume Soro announced Thursday after a Cabinet meeting the new date takes into account the recommendation of the independent electoral commission.

The commission said Wednesday the country should be able to hold elections in October.  However, the commission said certain conditions must be met before the vote can be held.  It did not give details of those conditions.

Disputes remain over who is eligible to vote.  In February, President Laurent Gbagbo dissolved the electoral commission and the government after accusing the commission chief of illegally registering people.  That led to two weeks of sometimes violent protests until a new commission and government were formed.

Mr. Gbagbo's mandate ended in 2005, but he has remained in power through the repeated election delays.

The West African country is trying to recover from a 2002 civil war that split it into a rebel-controlled north and government-run south.   The two sides set up a unity government following a 2007 peace deal.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.

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