Alassane Ouattara Triumphs in Ivory Coast Presidential Race

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has been re-elected for a fourth term with 89.77% of the vote. The election saw a turnout of around 50%, with Ouattara's main competitors disqualified. The results are pending validation by the Constitutional Council, maintaining stability and growth in the nation.

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has claimed a decisive victory in securing a fourth term, winning 89.77% of the votes according to provisional results released by the electoral commission. This triumph solidifies his legacy as a leader who has overseen stability and growth in the world's largest cocoa-producing country.

Ouattara, 83, first came to power in 2011 after a contentious election that led to a four-month war killing around 3,000 citizens. His predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, had refused to concede defeat, but Ouattara has since guided the nation through a period of steady economic progress.

This year's election turnout mirrored that of previous years, but was significantly lower than the 80% seen in the 2010 first round. Notably, influential figures like Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam were absent from the ballot, positioning Ouattara as the indisputable frontrunner. The results await final confirmation by the Constitutional Council.

(With inputs from agencies.)