Niger/Guillaume Soro case: Niger, a second home for the former Ivorian head of government
Guillaume Gigbafori SORO, former head of government and former president of the Ivorian National Assembly, who has been in exile for nearly 5 years, has been staying in Niger since Saturday 11 November 2023. He was received in audience on Monday 13 November by the President of the CNSP, President of the transition in Niger, General Abdourahamane TIANI.
On leaving the audience, he declared that he considered Niger, Côte d’Ivoire’s neighbouring country, to be his second homeland.
After several unsuccessful requests, the CNSP’s Niger finally agreed to welcome the politician and outspoken opponent of Côte d’Ivoire’s president, Alassane Dramane Ouattara, to its soil.
As a reminder, in 2019 he was forced into exile outside his country and the African continent, due to the political and judicial situation he was facing.
He was sentenced in 2020 to 20 years in prison, then in 2021 to life imprisonment, by an Ivorian court.
He was charged with offences dating back to 2019, including conspiracy and undermining state security.
According to Guillaume SORO, this decision was overturned by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the grounds that it was politically motivated.
All this happened after he had expressed his intention to stand in the 2020 elections.
Now that he has expressed his desire to end his exile, he is once again facing attempts at kidnapping and forced extradition.
The events occurred on 3 November, according to information published on his social network accounts, in which he directly accuses the Ivorian president, Alassane Dramane Ouattara.
He is nonetheless delighted with the welcome he has received in Niger, where he has taken refuge and settled for the time being.
His ambition is to return to his native land, his family and friends.
He also wishes to continue his political struggle for the reconciliation of his compatriots and to do his bit to build peace and harmony between the peoples of Africa.
Titi KEITA
