1999 Ivorian coup d'etat

The 1999 Ivorian coup d'état took place on December 24, 1999. It was the first coup d'état since the independence of Ivory Coast and led to the President Henri Konan Bédié being deposed.

Ever since independence in 1960, Ivory Coast had been controlled by Félix Houphouët-Boigny. During the first decades of his rule, Ivory Coast enjoyed economic prosperity and was politically stable. However, the later years of his rule saw the downturn of the Ivorian economy and signs of political instability.

Henri Konan Bédié succeeded as president after Houphouët-Boigny's death in 1993. The economic situation continued to worsen. Bédié was accused of corruption, political repression, and of stripping immigrants from neighboring countries of their political rights by promoting the concept of Ivoirité, which placed in doubt the nationality of many people of foreign origin and caused tension between people from the north and the south of Ivory Coast. Dissatisfaction kept growing.

A group of soldiers led by Tuo Fozié rebelled on December 23, 1999. Refusing to step down at the soldiers' demand, Bédié was overthrown by a coup d'état the following day. Former army commander Robert Guéï, although not having led the coup d'état, was called out of retirement as head of a National Public Salvation Committee (French: Comité National de Salut Public).

Scattered gunfire were heard around Abidjan. Guéï announced the dissolution of parliament, the former government, the constitutional council and the supreme court. The rebels took control of Abidjan Airport and key bridges, set up checkpoints, and opened prison gates to release political prisoners and other inmates. Mobs took advantage of the power vacuum to hijack cars. Some parts of Abidjan were also looted by soldiers and civilians.

On television, Guéï announced that he had seized power. He also made a television address to the people and foreign diplomatic personnel, in which he gave assurances that democracy would be respected, international agreements would be maintained, the security of Ivorians and non-Ivorians would be guaranteed, missions to foreign countries would be sent to explain the reasons for the coup, and the problems of farmers would be addressed.

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