ABSTRACT
This study provides a historical analysis of the 2011 Civil War in Ivory Coast. The Ivorian Civil War in 2011 was surrounded with a lot of issues and problems. The objectives of the study was to find out the factors that led to the 2011 Civil War in Ivory Coast, examine the activities that occurred during the 2011 Civil War in Ivory Coast, its effects and responses to the 2011 Civil War in Ivory Coast. The research was carried out using secondary sources. Data were retrieved from textbooks, articles, journals, internet sources and newspapers. The study found that the conflict was as a result of deep-seated differences revolving around ethnicity, nationality and religion. Politicians tapped into these differences to consolidate their monopoly on power, and in the process, pushed the country towards a civil war. The study also found that the conflicts which began in 2010 and ended in 2011 led to an increase in arms proliferation, insecurity, economic crash and deaths in Ivory Coast. There were various responses to the 2011 conflict in Ivory Coast. Nationally, protests were carried out among Christians and Muslims to curb the civil conflict in 2011. Also, the Ivorian government recruited foreign combatants, particularly from Liberia, including Child Soldiers, and purchased arms from Angola, Belarus, Bulgaria, Israel, Romania and Ukraine. Regionally and internationally, there were reactions, talks and interventions from African organisations, United Nations, such as the ECOWAS interventions, United Nations Operations, Linas-Marcoussis talks, Accra Talks II and III, Pretoria Talks, and ECOWAS summit. The study found that the conflict ended with the arrest of Gbagbo, his wife, son and his entourage. The research therefore concludes that inspite of the counter-measures by the international community to curb civil wars, the phenomenon continues unabated in some part of the world. The implication of this is that, the international community will continue to live in fear of civil wars.
