The president of the Parti démocratique de Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI), Tidjane Thiam, has unveiled a major ambition for Côte d'Ivoire's foreign policy: to re-establish harmonious relations with the member countries of the Confederation of Sahel States (CES), notably Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, if he accedes to the supreme magistracy in the 2025 presidential election.
In a recent statement, Tidjane Thiam stressed the importance of peaceful diplomacy in guaranteeing regional stability and development. "We want Côte d'Ivoire to be at peace within its borders, and at peace with its neighbors," said the PDCI leader. He also stressed the need to build "fraternal, respectful and peaceful" relations with neighboring nations, seeing this as an essential condition for shared prosperity within the sub-region.
This stance comes against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and political upheaval within the CES. By committing himself to regional reconciliation, Tidjane Thiam seems to want to position Côte d'Ivoire as a central player in West African stability.