Last updated: December 11, 2025
Country Profile
Following independence in 1960, Côte d’Ivoire maintained close ties with the West, especially France. Under Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the country enjoyed political stability for decades. A coup in 1999, however, ushered in a period of instability, including disastrous two civil wars between 2002 and 2011. Since then, Côte d’Ivoire has enjoyed relative stability and security and consistent economic growth. Today it is among the most developed West African nations, driven largely by its booming cocoa sector – now the largest in the world. Yet, insecurity persists along its northern borders, where conflict spillover from Mali and Burkina Faso remains an acute threat. The country experienced its first terrorist attack in 2016 and has since faced a mounting terrorist threat in its Northern regions.
Politics: A fourth term for Ouattara
Cote d’Ivoire has long been seen as a beacon of political stability in the region. However, this has come at the cost of democratic decline. To run for a third term, President Ouattara changed the constitution, abolishing the two-term limit. In 2025, he secured a fourth term in elections that saw record low turnout and the main opposition leaders barred. Despite a history of electoral violence, the most recent elections transpired peacefully.
Security: Spillover from Malian and Burkinabe Conflicts
Ouattara’s rule has brought relative security following a tumultuous period. However, in recent years Côte d’Ivoire’s Northern regions – Denguélé, Savanas, Zanzan – have endured spillover from the conflicts in Mali and Burkina Faso. The borders are porous and many communities depend on informal cross-border trade, making it difficult to keep out insurgents. From 2020 to 2022 Cote d’Ivoire recorded 20 attacks, predominantly against military targets, that were mainly attributed to the Islamist militant group Katiba Macina. After ramping up its counterterrorism efforts in the North, the situation has improved and no attacks have been recorded in over two years.
Nonetheless, the absence of attacks should not be interpreted as an absence of threat. Terrorists continue to cross from Mali and Burkina into Côte d’Ivoire, while the refugee influx is increasingly straining resources. In addition, a Burkinabe government-backed militia, Volontaires pour la défense de la patrie (VDP), has posed an increasing danger to civilians on both sides of the border. VDP has been targeting Fulani herders, who are often accused of being part of an extremist group. In August, six Ivorian civil servants were reportedly kidnapped in a border town and taken into Burkina Faso, further damaging relations between the two countries. As the conflicts in neighbouring countries continue to worsen, there is little reason to be optimistic about the threat to Côte d’Ivoire.
