Who's who in Côte d'Ivoire

Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny arrives from his post, held since 1994, as governor of BCEAO (Francophone west Africa's central bank) with a reputation as a brilliant technocrat. He studied in France at the prestigious ESSEC business school, and was a secretary-general of the InterAfrican Coffee Organisation.

A Christian from the southern town of Divo, he has found favour with all the main political players in the Côte d'ivoire. Under terms of UN resolution 1633, Banny, 63, has "full authority over the cabinet" to organise presidential and legislative elections next year and supervise the disarmament process, but in practice his powers will be dependent on Gbagbo's willingness to delegate authority.

He nurses presidential ambitions of his own, but is precluded from standing in 2006.

President Laurent Gbagbo, leader of the Ivorian Popular Front (FPl) party, has been in the post since his controversial election in 2000. A southern Catholic from Gagnoa, his premiership followed 30 years in opposition during which he shifted from socialism to nationalism in the 1980s. With a history doctorate, Gbagbo, 60, has a reputation for cunning political intelligence and an instinct for survival that has ensured he has stayed in charge of the weakened country.

Henri Konan Bedie became president of Cote d'Ivoire following the death of Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the country's first president, in 1993, until the military coup of 1999.

A veteran of Ivorian politics and leader of the Côte d'Ivoire Democratic Party (PDCI), Konan Bedie, 71, is the architect of 'Ivorlanesff, the nationalistic principle that was invoked to prevent rival Alassane Ouattara from standing in the 2000 elections.

He recently forged a high-profile alliance with Ouattara to ensure that Gbagbo be defeated at the polls - each promised to support the other in the event of a second round run-off.

Alassane Ouattara is leader of the Rally of the Republicans (RDR), a former Prime Minister (1990-93) and another of HouphouetBoigny most trusted lieutenants.

Now 63, he lost out to Konan Bedie following Houphouet-Boigny's death and was barred from standing in presidential elections in 2000 due to claims by rivals that he is not truly Ivorian (his mother is from next-door Burkina Faso). Has been living in exile in Paris since the start of the crisis.

A Muslim northerner, and ex-deputy director of the IMF, he enjoys strong support in rebel-held areas.

Guillaume Soro is the political leader of the New Forces, the rebel alliance that controls 60% of the country. Still only 34, before the outbreak of war he was building a powerful reputation as a student leader and has since proved adept at both international charm and tough bargaining. Has enjoyed stints in Gbagbo's cabinet as part of a government of national reconciliation, including a post as minister of communications.

General Robert Guei is an army general who seized power in a 1999 coup and stood at the presidential elections in 2000. He claimed victory, but was ousted in a popular uprising which saw Gbagbo as the rightful winner. Died in the early days of the rebellion against Gbagbo in 2002 that sparked the current conflict. Many rebel fighters are regular army soldiers and Guei sympathisers.

Copyright International Communications Jan 2006
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