Ivory Coast Announces New Government

Posted June 1st, 2011 at 8:45 pm (UTC-5)
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Ivory Coast's president, Alassane Ouattara, has announced his first government since taking office after a months long deadly election dispute.

President Ouattara named 36 ministers Wednesday, but did not include any members from the party of former President Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to step down after the November elections.

Mr. Ouattara had previously said he wanted to include officials from both sides of the conflict. However, officials from Mr. Gbagbo's party said they could not join a government that had detained Mr. Gbagbo.

At least 3,000 people were killed in post-election violence when President Gbagbo, in power since 2000, refused to accept his electoral defeat. Mr. Gbagbo was finally toppled and arrested April 11, after United Nations and French helicopters bombed the president's compound, where he was hiding.

Human rights groups accuse supporters of both Mr. Ouattara and Mr. Gbagbo of killing and injuring civilians in the battle for power. President Ouattara has promised justice for all victims of the violence, saying there will be no exceptions.