Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) economic, (2) humanitarian, and (3) political, situation in Cote d’Ivoire.

Côte d'Ivoire is one of the world's fastest growing economies, despite a slowdown in growth in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is listed as number 41 on the World Bank Index and its Annual Growth Rate was 6.2% in 2020. The UK Government is working with the Government of Côte d'Ivoire on the implementation of our Economic Partnership Agreement, signed in October 2020. The agreement will allow businesses to trade without any additional barriers or tariffs. The humanitarian situation in the country remains stable, but a large number of Ivoirians continue to live below the poverty line.

In October 2020, thousands of Ivoirian refugees crossed into neighbouring countries following violence around the presidential elections. The UK Government condemned the electoral violence and supported Ivoirians' right to demonstrate and protest peacefully. The Minister for Africa issued statements on 30 October and 5 November 2020 urging all parties to refrain from spreading disinformation, hate messages and inciting violence. Alongside international partners, we called for genuine political dialogue between all parties in order to resolve outstanding differences and ensure peace and stability for all Ivoirians. The legislative elections on 6 March are on track to take place in a more inclusive environment, with ongoing political dialogue and participation by opposition parties.