Chris Blattman

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A US diplomat’s view on Cote d’Ivoire

I was thinking to myself that awfully few diplomats have been writing about the crisis. But I had missed this IHT piece by  John Campbell:

the Obama administration has little leverage to get Mr. Gbagbo out quickly.

…The administration can and should move to contain the consequences for the region of the crisis and underscore Mr. Gbagbo’s pariah status. For example, it should provide assistance to Liberia and Ivory Coast’s other neighbors to respond to a potential humanitarian disaster caused by refugee flows.

…It should seek to stanch any flow of arms into the country. The administration’s spokesmen should continue publicly to recall that Mr. Gbagbo and his minions would be held personally accountable for human rights violations he perpetrates. The administration should provide diplomatic support for Ecowas and the African Union in international forums like the UN Security Council. There should also be international planning for the delivery of humanitarian assistance within Ivory Coast, should widespread fighting start again.

Over time Mr. Gbagbo’s domestic support is likely to erode, a process that will be promoted by his new status as an international pariah and if he is cut off from access to international financial agencies. But, in the meantime, the international community will need to show persistence and patience; Mr. Gbagbo is unlikely to go away soon.

Campbell’s CFR blog is here.

2 Responses

  1. “It should seek to stanch any flow of arms into the country”
    Is this just a kneejerk reaction? Why is this a good idea, when the government troops are better armed and “considering genocide”?

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