The virus was detected in a Ivorean who returned from visiting Italy.

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There are now a dozen African countries treating COVID19 cases.

Egypt has the highest count followed by Algeria. 

The Democratic Republic of Congo has replaced South Africa in third place.

Two of the 114 cases in Africa have resulted in deaths.

Governments have taken stringent action to stop infection.

Kenya’s banned its star athletes from going abroad to compete for the next month.

Ghana and Gabon has stopped foreign travel for their  officials. Lesotho has stopped foreign travel for its citizens.

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Alassane Outtara became President of Cote d’Ivor in 2010.

His opponent Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat, sparking a brief civil war in which more than 3 000 people died.

Ouattara was re-elected in 2015, again with an 84% share of the vote.

Previously he said he would only run again if his chief opponents, Gbagbo and Henri Konan Bedie featured in the race.

His statement yesterday appears to rule out the constitutional changes that would be necessary to enable him to seek a third mandate. 

The post Ouattara says he won’t seek a third term as Cote d’Ivoire President appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The flu-like virus has killed at least 56 people in China and cases have spread to at least 46 countries.

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Ivorean authorities believe the woman, whom they have not named, is suffering from pneumonia rather than coronavirus.

She’s been placed under isolation while tests are conducted for her coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath.

She displayed these symptoms before boarding the flight from China where she has lived for five years.

China’s in virtual lockdown to contain the virus that has sickened more than 2000 people.

Nevertheless it has spread to at least 46 countries including the United States, France and Australia.  

The post Cote d’Ivoire tests Africa’s possible first coronavirus victim appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

He says won’t be returning home to face what he calls a baseless arrest warrant and will contest next year’s Presidential election from abroad.

Heading home last week, Guillaume Soro turned to Ghana when he heard that he faces arrest in Cote d’Ivoire.

Police have raided his party headquarters in Abidjan and arrested a number of his supporters.

He says the charges against him are not based on law but on a determination by President Alassane Ouattara not to allow his return to contest the 2020 election.

Soro, who was in France says he has not called for protection from that country

The post Guillaume Soro rejects allegations he’s planning to overthrow Cote d’ivoire government appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The announcement was made when French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Ivory Coast.

At the Petit Palace in Abidjan, French President Emmanuel Macron and his Ivorean counterpart  Alassane Ouattara – who currently leads the Monetary Union of West Africa – announced that the revamped currency will be launched in 2020.

It will be called the ECO and will give the leaders of the eight West African countries that use it greater control over their currency.

The ECO will remain fixed to the euro and will broaden the possibility for the 15 members of the West African grouping ECOWAS to adopt the currency as well.

The post West African Monetary Union to reform French-backed colonial-era currency appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The soldiers have not yet returned to their barracks.

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The mutiny began early on Friday when rogue soldiers demanding bonus pay seized Bouake.

Soldiers at military camps in cities and towns across Ivory Coast, including the commercial capital Abidjan, joined the rebellion.

A deal was reached between the government and the soldiers late on Saturday.

Some mutineers briefly detained Defence Minister Alain-Richard Donwahi, who was brokering the deal, demanding to known exactly how much they would get and when.

Mutineers says they expect their money today.

They’ll get eight thousand dollars each.

Since there are  8000 of them, it will cost Africa’s fastest-growing country tens of billions of CFA francs.

The post Cote d’Ivoire mutineers expect their money today appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The mutineers have allowed Ivory Coast’s defence minister and dozens of others to leave a house where they had been trapped on Saturday when some some appeared to reject aspects of a deal intended to end a two-day revolt.

Following talks between a government delegation headed by Defence Minister Alain-Richard Donwahi and representatives of the mutineers, President Alassane Ouattara announces he has agreed to some of the soldiers’ grievances but chastises them for sparking the unrest.

He says in a television broadcast this manner of making demands is not appropriate. It tarnishes the image of the country after all efforts to revive the economy.

A mutineer close to the negotiations says the soldiers  are satisfied with the deal, addressing their demands for bonus payments and  improved living conditions, and says they’re preparing to return to barracks.

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