À l'Olympia (meaning At the Olympia) is a live album by Canadian singer Céline Dion, released on November 14, 1994. It's her 2nd live album, 16th French album and 19th in total.

Album information[link]

The album was recorded on September 28 and 29, 1994, during two sold-out concerts at the Paris Olympia. Among songs from singer's previous French album Dion chante Plamondon, Céline Dion performed also "Calling You," (Academy Award nominated song from Bagdad Café), "Quand on n'a que l'amour" (originally by Jacques Brel), and a medley of songs from the Starmania musical, including two songs unavailable on Dion previous releases: "Quand on arrive en ville" and "Naziland, ce soir on danse" (full English version of that song called "Tonight We Dance (Extravagance!)" was recorded by Dion and included on the Tycoon compilation in 1992).

Although À l'Olympia was unavailable in most important music markets (United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia), the B-sides of English singles released there in 1995 and 1996 included tracks from that album.

The video with this concert was never released.

"Quand on n'a que l'amour," "Elle" and "Medley Starmania" were included on Dion's 2005 French compilation On ne change pas.

Shows at the Olympia were a part of The Colour of My Love Tour.

Critical reception[link]

Allmusic said that "the material sounds great live" and Dion's "voice as always a technical marvel."^[2]

Chart success[link]

The album has sold over 2 million copies worldwide,^[3] including 1 million in Europe alone.^[4] À l'Olympia has sold 200,000 copies in Canada^[5] and was certified platinum.^[6] It was also certified platinum in France.^[7]

The album peaked at number 10 in France and number 31 in Canada, as Quebec sales did not factor into the Canadian Albums chart at that time. On the Belgian Wallonia chart, which is available only since April 1995, À l'Olympia reached number 19.

Track listing[link]

1. "Des mots qui sonnent" (Luc Plamondon, Aldo Nova, Marty Simon) – 4:15
2. "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" (Robert White Johnson, Taylor Rhodes) – 8:16
3. "L'amour existe encore" (Plamondon, Richard Cocciante) – 4:17
4. "Je danse dans ma tête" (Plamondon, Romano Musumarra) – 4:27
5. "Calling You" (Bob Telson) – 6:41
6. "Elle" (Eddy Marnay, Paul Baillargeon) – 3:12
7. Medley Starmania: "Quand on arrive en ville/Les uns contre les autres/Le monde est stone/Naziland, ce soir on danse" (Plamondon, Michel Berger) – 6:33
8. "Le blues du businessman" (Plamondon, Berger) – 7:04
9. "Le fils de Superman" (Plamondon, Germain Gauthier) – 4:27
10. "Love Can Move Mountains" (Diane Warren) – 5:25
11. "Un garçon pas comme les autres (Ziggy)" (Plamondon, Berger) – 3:19
12. "The Power of Love" (Candy DeRouge, Gunther Mende, Mary Susan Applegate, Jennifer Rush) – 6:08
13. "Quand on n'a que l'amour" (Jacques Brel) – 4:08

Charts and certifications[link]

¹The chart is available only since April 1995.
²Most certifications are under old criteria, with higher certifications levels than the current ones.

Release history[link]

References[link]

Olympia
The facade of the Olympia at night
Address	28, Boulevard des Capucines, 9th arrondissement
City	Paris
Capacity	1772 seats
Opened	1889
Previous names	Montagnes Russes (1889–1893)
www.olympiahall.com

The Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber.

Founded in 1888, by Joseph Oller, the creator of the Moulin Rouge, today easily recognizable by its giant red glowing letters announcing its name. It opened in 1889 as the "Montagnes Russes" but was renamed the Olympia in 1893. Besides musicians, the Olympia played host to a variety of entertainment including circuses, ballets, and operettas. However, following a steady decline in appearances by the great stars, from 1929 until 1944 it served as a movie theater. It may have opened as a music hall under the German occupation of France during World War II, but certainly in 1945 after the Liberation, it was a music hall free to Allied troops in uniform. Attendees had to listen to the playing of four national anthems before the varied programs that always ended with a spirited French can-can performed by dancers, some of whom were no longer young. Thereafter, at times it may have reverted to movies again until Bruno Coquatrix revived it as a music hall with a grand re-opening in February 1954. After his death, it ultimately went into another decline and was in danger of being torn down and turned into a parking lot but on 7 January 1993, France's then Minister of Culture, Jack Lang issued a preservation order for the Olympia that resulted in two years of construction work to rebuild a perfect replica of the façade and the grandeur of its famous red interior.

Édith Piaf achieved great acclaim at the Olympia giving several series of recitals from January 1955 until October 1962. Jeff Buckley, long an admirer of Piaf, gave what he considered the finest performance of his career there in 1995, which was later released in 2001 on Live at L'Olympia. Jacques Brel's 1961 and 1964 concerts at L'Olympia are legendary and preserved to this day on new CD releases. Marlene Dietrich's 1962 Olympia concert was broadcast. On May 3–4, 1972, The Grateful Dead played two concerts here as part of their first major European tour. Both shows were recorded and songs from each were released on their 1972 live album "Europe '72". Dave Gahan played concert here and it was released on 2004 the DVD Live Monsters.

Stars[link]

The Olympia's entrance and billboard

Inaugurated by the biggest star in France at the time, singer/dancer La Goulue, the venue has showcased a wide variety of performers, including French acts such as Dalida, Mustafa Sandal, Ajda Pekkan, Alan Stivell, Édith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Adamo, Gilbert Bécaud, Jacques Brel, Johnny Hallyday, Mireille Mathieu, Barbara, Véronique Sanson, Charles Trenet, Yvonne Printemps and the singer Alizée in a concert in 2004.

International stars have included Abdel Halim Hafez Dave Matthews Band, Lara Fabian, Willy DeVille, Amália Rodrigues, Lou Reed, Joséphine Baker, Annie Cordy, Majida El Roumi, Linda de Suza, The Animals, Petula Clark, Bülent Ersoy, Can, Celine Dion, Cher, Deep Purple, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Sammy Davis Jr., Diana Krall, Dir En Grey, Elis Regina, Eric Burdon, War, Fairuz, Dave Gahan, Jeff Buckley, Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation, Jimi Hendrix, Judy Garland, Kraftwerk, Nana Mouskouri, Haris Alexiou, Olivera Vuco, Mika, Wings, Paul McCartney, Oliver Dragojevic, Paul Simon, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Sarit Hadad, Bob Dylan, Black Sabbath, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Lady Gaga, The Corrs, Lola Beltrán, Luciano Pavarotti, Mariza, Maysa, Morrissey, The Shadows, My Bloody Valentine, Nelly Furtado, New Order, Nick Cave, Nina Simone, Patti Smith, Phil Collins, Pet Shop Boys, Roger Hodgson, Primal Scream, Stevie Nicks, KISS, Sabah, Scorpions, Simple Minds, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Tereza Kesovija, The Beatles, The Cure, The Jackson 5, Barry Manilow, The Mars Volta, Stephen Stills, Yolandita Monge, Otis Redding, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Rolling Stones, Tin Machine, Mika, Björk, Umm Kulthum, Zohar Argov, Dionne Warwick, Violetta Villas, Velvet Underground, Leon Redbone, Leonard Cohen, Manu Dibango, Madonna, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Sid Vicious, James Brown, Alla Pugacheva, Lili Ivanova, Queens of the Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane and Arcade Fire, Zdravko ČOlić & Tangerine Dream among others.

References[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2009)

Sources

• Jean-Michel Boris, Jean-François Brieu, Eric Didi: Olympia Bruno Coquatrix, 50 ans de Music-Hall, 2003, Editions Hors Collection, ISBN 2-258-06234-9
• Paulette Coquatrix: Mes noces d'or avec l'Olympia, Bordeaux, Le Castor Astral
• Jeanne Tallon: J’étais ouvreuse à l'Olympia, 2004, Paris, Editions Fayard, ISBN 2-213-61839-9

External links[link]

• Documentary 52': Si l'Olympia m'etait Conte video
• Official website, accessed 15 July 2011

Coordinates: 48°52′13″N 2°19′42″E / 48.87028°N 2.32833°E / 48.87028; 2.32833

Alpha Blondy
Alpha Blondy at Solidays Festival, (Longchamp Racecourse), France, 2008
Background information
Birth name	Seydou Koné
Born	(1953-01-01) January 1, 1953 (age 59) Dimbokro, Côte d'Ivoire
Genres	Reggae
Occupations	Singer/Songwriter
Years active	1981–present
Website	AlphaBlondy.info alphablondyjahgloryfoundation.org

Alpha Blondy (born January 1, 1953)^[1] is a reggae singer and international recording artist. Alpha Blondy was born Seydou Koné in Dimbokro, Côte d'Ivoire. He sings mainly in his native language of Dioula, in French and in English, and sometimes in Arabic or Hebrew. His lyrics convey serious political attitudes and a sense of humor.

Early years[link]

Childhood[link]

First son of a family of 9 children, Seydou Kone was raised by his grandmother, growing up in what he described as "among elders", which later was to have a big impact on his career. In 1962, Alpha Blondy went to join his father in Odienné, where he spent ten years, attending the Sainte Elisabeth high school, and getting involved in the Ivory Coast students movement. Here he formed a band. But, this hobby affected his schooling and Alpha Blondy was expelled due to poor attendance. His parents then sent him to study English in Monrovia in the neighboring country of Liberia in 1973. He spent thirteen months there and then moved to the United States of America to improve his English.^[2]

First stay in the USA[link]

In 1973 Seydou moved to New York (also briefly Texas), where he studied English at Hunter College in New York, and later in the Columbia University American Language Program. He majored in English because he wanted to become an English teacher. He had to work part-time, and sometimes at night, and became ill. In New York he met Rastafarians for the first time, and was also able to see concerts by Jamaican artists such as Burning Spear. At this time he was recording Christian music but never stopped writing his own songs. Eventually he got into various scrapes in New York and returned to the Ivory Coast, where he got into even more trouble until he met up with one of his childhood friends, Fulgence Kassi, who had become a noted television producer. This was the beginning of his real career as a singer, and he began to use the name "Alpha Blondy".^[3]

Musical career[link]

After various TV shows for Kassi, Blondy recorded his first solo album in 1982, entitled Jah Glory. This album was to have enormous success and would become later a symbol of resistance because of the song "Brigadier Sabari", where Alpha criticized the harassment by the police. Some of this was based on personal experience, as Alpha himself had seen police violence. Alpha Blondy became a big star in Abidjan with his own African twist of Reggae music, becoming in the eyes of his fans "the Bob Marley of Africa". Alpha Blondy is spiritual, political and positive just like Marley himself, and even recorded a cover of Bob Marley's song "War". And he doesn't stop progressing; in order to reach more people with his message, he chose to sing in many languages: English, French, Baoule, and his own native language – Dioula. Later he also brought new instrumentation to his brand of reggae such as the violin and cello.

Soon the fame of Alpha Blondy spread to Europe. Following the success of an EP entitled “Rasta Poué” he went to Paris in 1984 to make his second album, Cocody Rock, with the label Pathe Marconi. The "Bob Marley of Africa" traveled to the island of Jamaica and recorded the title track of this album with Marley’s backing group, The Wailers.

Back home in 1985, Alpha went into the studio to record Apartheid is Nazism. This album was more politically committed than ever. It is a call for the end of Apartheid and the freedom for all. In 1986 Blondy recorded “Jerusalem” at the legendary Tuff Gong studios in Jamaica, again with The Wailers featuring Bob Marley's legendary Bass Aston "Family Man" Barrett. Blondy tried to promote unity between the religion of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. He drew his arguments and inspiration from his own diverse knowledge of the Bible, the Quran and the Torah. That same year, Blondy sang in Hebrew during a concert in Morocco. At this point he was touring continuously. His new album Revolution had a lighter, gentler sound; this was the album with cellos in the instrumentation, and the line-up included veteran Ivory Coast singer Aicha Kone. The album also included "Jah Houphouët parle", a long speech by the Ivory Coast president with only the most minimal beat behind it.

Blondy spent the years 1987–1989 giving concerts and recording SOS Guerre Tribale in Abidjan. This was promoted by Blondy himself as he was distancing himself from Pathe Marconi at this stage. This was not to be a real success but this wasn't going to stop Blondy and in 1991 he returned to Europe for a concert tour and to record his famous album Masada with the help of musical legends such as Bocana Maiga and UK reggae producer Dennis Bovell. The album, with its hit single "Rendez Vous" was a huge success, and later, Blondy was to receive his first Gold Disc in Paris.

At the beginning of 1993, worn out from a world tour, Blondy succumbed to depression and was taken into an institution for psychiatric help. But as his health recovered he recorded the album Dieu ("God"), on which he appears more spiritual and religious, on tracks such as "Heal Me", about his illness and recovery.

Blondy's psychiatric treatment continued but, on December 10, 1994, Blondy was back with the festival in memory of the late President Houphouet, and later he made his European comeback at a storming concert at Le Zenith in Paris. In 1996, Blondy released a hits compilation and went back into the studio to record the album Grand Bassam Zion, singing in six languages: Malinke, Arabic, French, English, Ashanti and Wolof.

After two more years in Paris, Blondy returned to his homeland in 1998, with a new album, The Prophet. Convinced his label was too much focused on the international market, he decided to create his own label. Since then Alpha has recorded albums and singles, such as "Yitzhak Rabin", in memory of the Israeli prime minister who was assassinated in 1995 (this was accompanied by yet another grueling tour of Europe), the single "Journaliste en Danger" from his 2000 album Elohim.^[4]

Alpha Blondy celebrated 20 years as a recording artist, with the release of his CD MERCI, in 2002 featuring Ophelie Winter and Saian Supa Crew, which earned him a 2003 Grammy Awards Nomination for "Best Reggae Album". However due to the political situation in his home country of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), he was unable to personally attend the prestigious award ceremony in New York City. In an unprecedented move, the Grammy Awards permitted him to send a representative in his place of honor. ^[5] In 2005 Akwaba was released. His latest CD is entitled "Jah Victory" and was released July 2007. It features Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare as well as Tyrone Downie formerly of Bob Marley and the Wailers. "Victory" is in honor of the peace agreement that was reached and implemented in his country in March 2007. ^[6]

One of his most popular and successful songs was Sébé Allah Y'é.

On July 19, 2009, Alpha Blondy performed at New York's Central Park before a crowd of many native Africans, Jamaicans, and Americans.

June 13, 2010, a large crowd was allowed into a Blondy concert in the Ivory Coast to celebrate the peace and unity of the country, and at least 20 people were injured, two of whom died.^[7]

June 27, 2010, Alpha Blondy was the closing act at Parkpop, The Hague, Netherlands. He replaced Snoop Dogg and Beenie Man.

Blondy has also been an important influence on other African reggae artists such as Ismaël Isaac.^[8]

Faith[link]

Alpha Blondy was born to a Muslim mother and a Christian father, and was brought up by a grandmother who taught him to love everyone. Blondy's respect for all religions and the spirituality he derives from them can be heard on the tracks “God is One” or “Jerusalem” where he sang for unity between all religions in 1986.

Humanitarian[link]

Alpha Blondy (Seydou Kone) was named United Nations Ambassador of Peace for Côte d'Ivoire in 2005. He made great efforts to bring about a peaceful solution to his country's political and physical division which was a result of an attempted Coup in 2001. As of March 2007 a peace agreement was signed and implemented, due to the hard work of many people including Alpha Blondy. Alpha now reaches out further with the newly created not-for-profit, non-government, non-political, charitable foundation, Alpha Blondy Jah Glory Foundation, which works towards ending social injustice and generational poverty by giving people the tools that they need to help themselves. He strongly believes in helping the poor (Jah Glory), and also that children should not be hurt. The Foundation strives to create and implement grassroots programs at the village level, such as the Women’s Self-Sufficiency Micro Loan Program, to teach women who are caring for multiple orphans how to start and manage their own business, to better provide for their families, as well as other sustainable projects, such as the Tafari-Genesis Retreat Camp for Children (Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso). It especially hopes to bring joy and hope to children who have been affected by civil wars, former child soldiers, and those who suffer from chronic life-threatening illnesses, such as sickle-cell anemia, malaria, asthma, etc.

Talking about Alpha Blondy, people think usually of music and indeed since 1980 he has written at least 17 albums and 194 titles. This itself indicates the great value he represents for his fans. Alpha is no longer an Ivorian star but an International Mega Star because of his fight for peace and unity all around the world. One example was his single “Who Are You” with Ophelie Winter against antipersonnel mines. He has also participated at many humanitarian and charity concerts, such as the concert in Senegal in March 2006 for the eradication of Malaria in Africa (where he appeared along with many other celebrities). He has done much, much more of this type of work in the Ivory Coast itself, especially at his annual free concert at Bassam beach called “festa”.

Best known songs[link]

His first success was Brigadier Sabari. Some representative songs are :

• Sebe Allah Y'e
• Jah Glory – in which he sings against poverty
• Apartheid is Nazism
• Brigadier Sabari – satirical lyrics about police brutality.
• Cocody Rock – has become an Alpha Blondy anthem, which everyone knows and sings
• Guerre Civile – about civil war
• Jerusalem – a call for peace. The lyrics begins with a Hebrew prayer in Hebrew
• Journalistes en danger – about the assassination of Norbert Zongo
• Politiqui – about civilian / military government alternance
• Yitzhak Rabin – written in 1995, following the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and dedicated to him.
• Sweet Fanta Diallo
• Téré
• Blesser
• Rasta Poué

Discography[link]

1980s[link]

1990s[link]

2000s[link]

2010s[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alpha Blondy

• Official website
• Sahel University, (2006). Alpha Blondy’s Actions.
• Alpha Blondy Grammy Awards nomination
• PCCI Center, (2006). Alpha Blondy’s Engagements.
• Alpha Blondy Music

Laurent Koudou Gbagbo Gbagbo
President of Côte d'Ivoire
In office 26 October 2000 – 11 April 2011*
Prime Minister	Seydou Diarra Pascal Affi N'Guessan Seydou Diarra Charles Konan Banny Guillaume Soro Gilbert Aké
Preceded by	Robert Guéï
Succeeded by	Alassane Ouattara
Personal details
Born	(1945-05-31) 31 May 1945 (age 67) Gagnoa, French West Africa (now Ivory Coast)
Nationality	Bété Ivorian
Political party	Ivorian Popular Front
Spouse(s)	Simone Gbagbo, Nadiana Bamba
Alma mater	Paris Diderot University
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Website	Official website
*The presidency was disputed between Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara from 4 December 2010 to 11 April 2011, at which time Gbagbo was arrested.

Laurent Gbagbo^[1][2] (Gagnoa Bété: Gbagbo [ɡ͡baɡ͡bo]; French pronunciation: [loʁɑ̃ kudu baɡbo]; born 31 May 1945) was the fourth President of Côte d'Ivoire of ethnic Bété from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian by profession, he is also an amateur chemist and physicist.

Gbagbo was imprisoned in the early 1970s and again in the early 1990s, and he lived in exile in France during much of the 1980s as a result of his union activism. Gbagbo founded the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) in 1982 and ran unsuccessfully for President against Félix Houphouët-Boigny at the start of multi-party politics in 1990. He also won a seat in the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire in 1990.

Gbagbo claimed victory after Robert Guéï, head of a military junta, barred other leading politicians from running against Gbagbo in the October 2000 presidential election. Gbagbo supporters took to the streets, toppling Guéï. Gbagbo was then installed as President.

Following the 2010 presidential election, Gbagbo challenged the vote count, alleged fraud, and refused to stand down. He called for the annulment of results from nine of the country's regions. Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner and was recognized as such by election observers, the international community, the African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States. However, the Constitutional Council, which according to Article 94 of the Ivorian Constitution both determines disputes in and proclaims the results of Presidential elections,^[3] declared that Gbagbo had won. After a short period of civil conflict, Gbagbo was arrested by the Republican Army of Ivory Coast. In November 2011, he was extradited to the International Criminal Court, becoming the first head of state to be taken into the court's custody.^[4]

Early life and academic career[link]

Gbagbo was born in the village of Mama, near Gagnoa. He became a history professor and an opponent of the regime of President Félix Houphouët-Boigny. He was imprisoned from 31 March 1971 to January 1973. In 1979, he obtained his doctorate at Paris Diderot University (French: Université Paris Diderot, also known as Université Paris 7 – Denis Diderot). In 1980, he became Director of the Institute of History, Art, and African Archeology at the University of Abidjan, He participated in a 1982 teachers' strike as a member of the National Trade Union of Research and Higher Education. Gbagbo went into exile in France in the same year.

Political career[link]

During the 1982 strike, Gbagbo formed what would become the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI). He returned to Côte d'Ivoire on 13 September 1988 and at the FPI's constitutive congress, held on 19–20 November 1988, he was elected as the party's Secretary-General.^[2]

Gbagbo said in July 2008 that he had received crucial support from Blaise Compaoré, currently the President of Burkina Faso, while he was part of the underground opposition to Houphouët-Boigny.^[5]

Following the introduction of multiparty politics in 1990, Gbagbo was the only candidate to stand against Houphouët-Boigny in the October 1990 presidential election, receiving 18.3% of the vote against Houphouët-Boigny. In the November 1990 parliamentary election, Gbagbo won a seat in the National Assembly, along with eight other members of the FPI;^[2][6] Gbagbo was elected to a seat from Ouragahio District in Gagnoa Department and was President of the FPI Parliamentary Group from 1990 to 1995.^[2] In 1992 he was sentenced to two years in prison and charged with inciting violence, but was released later in the year.^[6] The FPI boycotted the 1995 presidential election. In 1996 Gbagbo was re-elected to his seat in the National Assembly from Ouragahio, following a delay in the holding of the election there, and in the same year he was elected as President of the FPI.^[2]

At the FPI's 3rd Ordinary Congress on 9–11 July 1999, Gbagbo was chosen as the FPI's candidate for the October 2000 presidential election.^[2] That election took place after a December 1999 coup in which Robert Guéï took power. Guéï refused to allow Alassane Ouattara or Henri Konan Bédié to run, leaving Gbagbo as the only significant opposition candidate. Guéï claimed victory in the election, held on 22 October 2000, but Gbagbo toppled Guéï, who fled the capital. Gbagbo installed himself as President on 26 October.

Civil war[link]

On 19 September 2002 a revolt by northerners against Gbagbo's government partly failed. The rebels, calling themselves the "Forces Nouvelles," attempted to seize the cities of Abidjan, Bouaké, and Korhogo. They failed to take Abidjan, but were successful in the other two, respectively in the center and north of the country. Their grievances were that their candidate, Alassane Ouattara, had been barred from running in the 2000 presidential election, having been accused by Gbagbo and his supporters of not being a "real Ivoirian" in what would be the beginning of Gbagbo's trend toward inciting ethnic divisions to maintain power, following on from the concept of "Ivoirieté" introduced by President Henri Konan Bédié in the 1990s to 2000 .^{[citation needed]}

Aftermath[link]

Early in November 2004, after the peace agreement had effectively collapsed following Gbagbo's refusal to agree to hold democratic elections that would include all candidates and the rebels' subsequent refusal to disarm, Gbagbo ordered airstrikes against the rebels. During one of these airstrikes in Bouaké on 6 November 2004, French soldiers were hit and nine of them were killed; the Ivorian government has said it was a mistake,^[7] but the French have claimed it was deliberate. They responded by destroying most Ivoirian military aircraft, and Gbagbo supporters violently attacked French-origin Ivoirians and French nationals.^[8]

Gbagbo's original mandate as president expired on 30 October 2005, but he garnered support from other African dictators in the African Union to support his bid to refuse to hold elections, and, despite his rhetoric against the international community, sought support to avoid holding elections as promised.^[9] With the late October deadline approaching in 2006, it was regarded as very unlikely that the election would in fact be held by that point, and the opposition and the rebels rejected the possibility of another term extension for Gbagbo.^[10] The UN Security Council endorsed another one-year extension of Gbagbo's term on 1 November 2006; however, the resolution provided for the strengthening of Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny's powers. Gbagbo said the next day that elements of the resolution deemed to be constitutional violations would not be applied.^[11]

A peace deal between the government and the rebels, or New Forces, was signed on 4 March 2007, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and subsequently Guillaume Soro, leader of the New Forces, became Prime Minister.^[12][13] Those events were seen by some observers as substantially strengthening Gbagbo's position.^[13]

Gbagbo visited the north for the first time since the outbreak of the war for a disarmament ceremony, the "peace flame", on 30 July 2007. This ceremony involved burning weapons to symbolize the end of the conflict.^[14][15] At the ceremony, Gbagbo declared the war over and said that the country should move quickly to elections, which were then planned for early 2008.^[15]

On 30 August 2008, Gbagbo was designated the FPI's candidate for the November 2008 presidential election at a party congress; he was the only candidate for the FPI nomination.^[16] The presidential election was again postponed to 2010.

2010 presidential election and succession crisis[link]

In 2010, Ivory Coast had a presidential election that saw Gbagbo face off with Alassane Ouattara. Gbagbo, whose mandate had expired in 2005, had delayed the election several times.^[17]

On 28 November 2010, the second round of the presidential election was held. Four days later the Ivory Coast Election Commission (CEI) declared Alassane Ouattara the winner with 54.1% of the vote.^[18] Gbagbo's party complained of fraud and ordered that votes from nine regions be annulled, but the claims were disputed by the Ivoirian Electoral Commission and international election observers.^[19] The Constitutional Council, headed by a staunch supporter of Gbagbo^{[citation needed]}, in accordance with its legal powers in article 94 of the Ivorian Constitution^[3] nullified the CEI's declaration based on alleged voting fraud, and excluded votes from nine northern areas.^[20] The Constitutional Council concluded that without these votes Gbagbo won with 51% of the remaining vote.^[19] The constitutional restriction on Presidents serving more than ten years was not addressed. With a significant portion of the country's vote nullified, especially in areas where Ouattara polled well,^[20] tensions mounted in the country. Gbagbo ordered the army to close the borders and foreign news organizations were banned from broadcasting from within the country. United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged the government to "act responsibly and peacefully."^[21]

Gbagbo declared that "I will continue to work with all the countries of the world, but I will never give up our sovereignty." Gbagbo is accused of committing many atrocities against regime opponents.^{[citation needed]} Ouattara's forces have also been accused of mass killings.^{[citation needed]} Sporadic violence and gunfire were reported in various parts of the country, including Abidjan.^[22] Gbagbo is mainly supported by the largely Christian south; his opponents are mostly concentrated in the Muslim north.^[23]

Ouattara also took a parallel oath of office, based on an earlier pronouncement by the CEI that he won the election. The international community, including the African Union, recognized Ouattara as the duly elected president and called for Gbagbo to respect the will of the people. ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, also recognized Ouattara and demanded Gbagbo cede power.^[24] Gbagbo responded by launching ethnic attacks on northerners living in Abidjan with his army made up partly of Liberian mercenaries,^[25][26] and rumours (unconfirmed because of restrictions on the movement of peacekeeping forces) of pro-Gbagbo death squads and mass graves have been reported to representatives of the UN.^[27][28] When Nigeria demanded Gbagbo step down and the EU began imposing sanctions and freezing assets, Gbagbo demanded foreign troops (by which he meant UN and French troops) leave the country.^[24][29] Leaders of the Forces Nouvelles (former rebels) asserted that Gbagbo was not the Head of State and could not make such a request and also asserted that the demand was a part of a plan to commit genocide on ethnicities from the north of the country, as stated by Gbagbo's Minister of Youth and Employment.^[26][30][31]

On 6 April 2011, forces loyal to Ouattara moved to seize Gbagbo at his residence in Abidjan after failed negotiations to end the presidential succession crisis.^[32] According to Ouattara, his forces established a security perimeter at the residence, where Gbagbo has sought refuge in a subterranean level, and are waiting for him to run out of food and water.^[33] The UN has insisted that he be arrested, judged and tried for crimes against humanity during his term and since the election of Ouattara.

On 10 April 2011, UN and French helicopters fired on heavy weapons located in Gbabgo's residency in order to prevent attacks on civilians or UN personnel.^[34]

Arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court[link]

It was reported that Gbagbo was arrested on the afternoon of 11 April 2011.^[34] Gbagbo was held in the Golf Hotel by Ouattara's forces, but the UN police had accepted his request for their protection.^[35] Initial reports indicated that French special forces had made the arrest, based on declarations by a Gbagbo aide, but it was denied by the French ambassador in Ivory Coast. A French military spokesman later asserted that French forces did not enter Gbagbo's residence.^[36][37][38] After briefing the United Nations Security Council on the situation, Alain Le Roy, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, confirmed to reporters that Ouattara forces made the arrest.^[36] But there have been persistent reports from Alain Toussaint, Gbagbo's Special Advisor in France, that French forces did indeed make the arrest namely by blasting open the corridor that linked the presidential residence to the French embassy in Abidjan. Gbagbo had had the tunnel blocked with concrete as soon as he came to power in 2000, marking his political independence to France, the former colonial master.^{[citation needed]}

Later speaking from inside the Golf Hotel in Abidjan, Gbagbo told his supporters to stop fighting.^[39] U.S. President Barack Obama cheered news of the latest developments in the Ivory Coast and CNN quoted U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as saying Gbagbo's capture "sends a strong signal to dictators and tyrants. ... They may not disregard the voice of their own people".^[40]

Wikinews has related news: Gbagbo appears at international court for alleged crimes against humanity

In October 2011, the International Criminal Court opened an investigation into acts of violence committed during the conflict after the election, and ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo visited the country. The ICC formally issued an arrest warrant for Gbagbo, charging him with four counts of crimes against humanity – murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and "other inhuman acts", allegedly committed between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011. Gbagbo was arrested in Korhogo, where he had been placed under house arrest, and was placed on a flight to The Hague on 29 November 2011. An adviser to Gbagbo described the arrest as "victor's justice". Gbagbo will be the first former head of state to be tried by the ICC.^[41][42]

See also[link]

	Côte d'Ivoire portal
	Biography portal
	Politics portal

• Politics of Côte d'Ivoire
• First Ivorian Civil War
• Second Ivorian Civil War

References[link]

External links[link]

• (French) Laurent Gbagbo's official website
• Laurent GBAGBO, Trial Watch Profile, TRIAL

v t e Presidents of Côte d'Ivoire Houphouët-Boigny • Bédié • Guéï • Gbagbo • Ouattara