Country Trading Profiles Ivory Coast

Political outline | Living conditions | Useful resources | Communications

Political outline

Executive Power

The President enjoys most of the executive powers which include implementation of the law in the country and running the day-to-day affairs. The Prime Minister is the head of government and is appointed by the President to serve a term of five years. The Prime Minister works under the President. The Council of Ministers (cabinet) is also appointed by the President.

Legislative Power

The legislature in Côte d'Ivoire is unicameral. The parliament, called National Assembly, consists of 225 seats, with its members elected in single- and multi-vote district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms. The people of the country enjoy very limited political rights. The President can dissolve the parliament or can veto its enactments.

Main political parties

There are more than 100 hundred legal political parties in Côte d'Ivoire, but very few have national support. The main political parties in Côte d'Ivoire are:

- FN - MPCI (New Forces - Patriotic Movement of Cote d'Ivoire) - A political and armed movement mainly from the northern part of the territory, which advocates an ideology inspired by the first President of Cote d'Ivoire: Felix Houphouet Boigny.

- PDCI (Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire) – the oldest political party, advocates democratic values;

- FPI (Ivorian Popular Front) – a democratic socialist party, politically inspired by the Socialist Party of France

- PIT (Ivorian Worker's Party) – draws support from trade unions and industrial workers; - RDR (Rally of the Republicans) – advocates liberal ideology.

Current political leaders

President: Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010) – RDR
Prime Minister: Jeannot Kouadio-AHOUSSOU (since 13 March 2012) - Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI)

Next election dates

Presidential elections: 2015

Living conditions

Health and safety

Health precautions: A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for all travelers over one year old. There is a risk of malaria in its malignant P. falciparum form all year round throughout the country. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. Recommended prophylaxis: MEF. Vaccination is strongly advised against tetanus, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, meningococcal disease, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
To avoid traveler's diarrhea, you should avoid the foods most at risk: dishes prepared and then eaten cold later; seafood, meat, fish which are badly cooked or not cooked enough, and raw vegetables and fruit you have not peeled yourself. Drinking water must be boiled and filtered or drunk from sealed bottles.
International hospitals: Sainte Marie International Polyclinic,
For further information on sanitary conditions: Recommendations for travelers from the World Health Organization (WHO) (in English)
For further information on safety conditions: Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Contact your Embassy

Emergency numbers

Police	111/170
Firemen	180
Emergency medical services	185

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference: It is %T:%M %A in Yamoussoukro, Abidjan (GMT)
Summer time period: The hottest period is from March to May.

Map of the time zone

Type of climate: Equatorial climate in the South (rains from April to July and October to November), becoming tropical in the North (rains from April to October). Take light clothing for all times and protection from the rain in that season.

For further information: Côte d'Ivoire weather forecast (in French)

Average annual temperatures and rainfall

Useful resources

To find an accommodation: Real estate for rent
To find an apartment: Accommodation in Côte d'Ivoire
Extended stay corporate housing directory

Abidjan Maison (in French)
Abidjan.net (in French)
Mbolo (in French)
To find a job: Afric Search
Afro Job

Communications

Telephone codes: To make a call from the Côte d'Ivoire to Greece: dial 00 (or +) 30
To make a call to in the Côte d'Ivoire from Greece: dial 00 (or +) +225
Mobile telephone standards: GSM
Internet suffix: .ci

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