Ivory Coast’s opposition coalition says it will participate in new government

Ivory Coast opposition to join new government

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Ivory Coast’s opposition coalition said Tuesday it will participate in a new government, raising hope for an end to nearly two weeks of deadly protests after the president dissolved the previous one.

Djedje Madi, general secretary of a coalition of opposition parties, said that they had received the assurances that they needed from President Laurent Gbagbo to join a new government.

However, he added that the opposition maintained its standing call for protests to put pressure on the president to follow through on his promises.

At least seven people have been killed during protests in cities across the West African country in the last week. The protests came after top opposition leaders refused to join a new coalition government, effectively stopping the formation of the government that had been expected to be announced Monday.

The spat began when Gbagbo dissolved the government claiming the electoral commission committed fraud. The move will cause presidential elections to replace him, which were due to be held no later than next month, to once again be delayed.

Ivory Coast has been divided between a rebel-controlled north and a government-controlled south since war broke out in 2002. The sides formed a unity government in 2007 and were preparing for presidential elections when Gbagbo dissolved the government on Feb. 12. Presidential elections have been postponed every year since 2005, when Gbagbo’s term ended.