On July 14, 2024, in Bonoua, President Laurent Gbagbo issued a compelling call for unity among opposition forces to challenge the current regime. His message was clear: "Open the arms. All those who seek a clear and honest political reshuffle to confront this government in 2025 are welcome." This call has been met with significant attention from Generations and Solidarity Peoples (GPS).

Since its inception, GPS has consistently advocated for the unity of the opposition and has supported every initiative aimed at establishing the rule of law in Côte d'Ivoire. At this critical juncture in our nation’s history, it is crucial to build a strong, coherent coalition capable of offering a credible alternative to a stagnant regime that plunges our country into crisis, poverty, violence, and corruption.

It is time to move beyond secondary delays and trivial contradictions. In this context, President Laurent Gbagbo's call resonates particularly within GPS. The current situation, marked by the arbitrary and unjust exclusion of our two leaders from the 2025 electoral lists, underscores the urgency of this approach. We highlight that Presidents Laurent Gbagbo and Guillaume Soro were the principal signatories of the Pretoria Agreement of 2005, which ensured the participation of all opposition figures in presidential elections without exclusion.

It is inconceivable that Mr. Alassane Ouattara, who previously complained about exclusion and sought international support when he was in opposition, is now the same individual who, once in power, denies two sons of Côte d'Ivoire their political rights.

It is regrettable that the current regime shows reluctance despite the obvious political benefits it gained from this agreement. Moreover, the 2020 decisions of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) clearly stipulated that Messrs. Laurent Gbagbo and Guillaume Soro should be reinstated on the electoral lists and eligible for elections in Côte d'Ivoire. By ignoring these recommendations, the current government places our country outside the bounds of international legality, effectively characterizing itself as a rogue state.

Faced with systematic exclusion and the inefficacy of the current regime, GPS believes that unity is the only path to restore fair, inclusive, and transparent political competition in Côte d'Ivoire. We are prepared to engage in discussions to define the terms of a sincere collaboration with the PPA-CI and all opposition forces that deem it necessary to restore the full eligibility of our leaders and strive for transparent and free elections.

United Peoples, Strong Peoples!

Made in Abidjan on August 9, 2024