For years, criticizing President Alassane Ouattara in Côte d’Ivoire has often led to accusations of xenophobia, effectively silencing dissent and debate. In this insightful opinion piece, political and international affairs consultant Eric Agnero argues that this era is finally coming to an end. Agnero contends that the very forces that once championed inclusion are now perpetuating exclusion, making it imperative to re-establish legitimate political criticism free from identity-based attacks. He challenges the current administration’s narrative, asserting that questioning the president’s practices is not xenophobia, but a demand for true democratic principles and equality for all Ivorian citizens.

Criticizing ADO Without Being Labeled Xenophobic: The End of a Political Taboo
By Eric Agnero – Political Communication and International Affairs Consultant

For three decades, Alassane Ouattara and his supporters built a large part of their political legitimacy on a posture of being victims of exclusion. Marginalized during the “Ivorianness” years, they loudly championed a discourse of rupture: it was necessary, they said, to forever cast aside this deadly logic, turn the page on identity-based discrimination, and rebuild a Republic of justice and equality. This powerful discourse resonated with the hope of a new era.
But today, the facts speak for themselves: Alassane Ouattara’s power, consolidated for over ten years, is now doing the excluding. It narrows the political field to its loyalists, marginalizes critical voices, and drags its feet on delivering a certificate of nationality to a member of the Houphouët-Boigny family.
How can we understand that those who suffered so much from being treated as second-class citizens are today the first to brandish citizenship as an instrument of political purging?

From a Discourse of Reconciliation to the Reality of Exclusion
Upon his accession to power, Alassane Ouattara affirmed the need to cast out hatred, bury the ghosts of Ivorianness, and create a climate of unity. He promised an impartial state where origin would no longer be a fault line.
Yet, under his governance, the famous ethnic “catch-up” became a doctrine for accessing positions of responsibility. The promise of justice morphed into assumed favoritism, and reconciliation remained a slogan without genuine implementation.
The confiscation of a Houphouët descendant’s certificate of nationality is not a simple administrative blunder. It is a political act. A signal sent to those who, even within the historic PDCI camp, would dare to criticize or question the established order.

Disarming the Blackmail of Xenophobia
For a long time, criticizing Alassane Ouattara meant exposing oneself to being labeled a xenophobe. The past had left real wounds, and those in power knew how to mobilize them to muzzle dissent. But today, this strategy is reaching its limits: it can no longer mask the reality of a power that reproduces the very flaws it claimed to combat.
Those who, only yesterday, called for inclusion are now acting through exclusion. Those who accused others of Ivorianness are practicing variable-geometry nationality.
Criticizing Alassane Ouattara is therefore not an attack against his origins. It is a challenge to his practices. It is a demand that the government respect its commitments, that citizenship be guaranteed to all, and that democracy no longer be confiscated.
I myself have been called every name by “elder brothers” for whom I had immense intellectual respect. I will not mention their names here to spare them embarrassment: gorged on bile and the stringy soup of the republican restaurant, they would undoubtedly choke on an embarrassed burp.

Reinstating Political Criticism
For those of us who truly knew what we were dealing with, it is finally a relief to be able to bring back, after thirty years of wandering, the central question: do we want to live in medieval kingdoms, or sincerely embrace democracy?
It is time for Ivorian political debate to free itself from the frivolity of identity-based accusations. That one can, in this country, question power without being sent back to supposed hatreds. That contradiction is no longer equated with treason.
The new Ivorian generation aspires to a politics of merit, transparency, and ethics. It no longer wants a Republic where citizenship becomes a weapon, where political affiliation determines access to fundamental rights.

The Broken Mirror
The RHDP (ruling party) can no longer continue to brandish the memory of exclusion to legitimize exclusion. It can no longer drape itself in Houphouëtism while sidelining those who embodied it.
Yes, criticizing Ouattara is legitimate. No, it does not make us xenophobes. It makes us demanding citizens. And that is the true Republic.

From May 26 to 30, 2025, the vibrant city of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, will host the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group’s 60th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors and the 51st Meeting of the Board of Governors of the African Development Fund (ADF). Held at the prestigious Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire, this landmark event will bring together over 6,000 delegates, including heads of state, finance ministers, central bank governors, private sector leaders, academics, civil society organizations, and global development partners. Under the theme “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development,” the 2025 Annual Meetings will serve as a critical platform for addressing the continent’s economic challenges and opportunities in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

A Pivotal Moment for African Development

The 2025 Annual Meetings mark a significant milestone for the AfDB, as they coincide with the election of a new president to succeed Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, whose transformative 10-year tenure ends in September 2025. The election, scheduled for May 29, 2025, will see the Bank’s 81 governors select a new leader from five candidates representing various African nations. This leadership transition comes at a time when Africa faces complex challenges, including rising debt burdens, climate change, and shifting global trade dynamics, with 47 of Africa’s 54 countries affected by new U.S. trade measures, including tariffs of up to 50% on exports.

The theme of the meetings reflects a strategic focus on harnessing Africa’s diverse capital—human, natural, financial, and commercial—to drive structural transformation. As Prof. Kevin Urama, the AfDB’s Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance, emphasized during a pre-event press conference, the goal is to leverage Africa’s existing resources to foster inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economies. Discussions will center on mobilizing domestic capital, strengthening regional value chains, and navigating geopolitical tensions to ensure Africa controls its economic destiny.

Key Highlights and Knowledge Events

The 2025 Annual Meetings will feature a robust agenda, blending statutory governance sessions with high-level knowledge events designed to spark innovative solutions. Key events include:

• High-Level Presidential Dialogue: A cornerstone of the meetings, this dialogue will bring together African leaders to discuss strategies for optimizing the continent’s capital for development. The session will emphasize bold reforms and domestic resource mobilization.
• Launch of the 2025 African Economic Outlook Report: This flagship report will analyze the global economic landscape, Africa’s debt challenges, and strategies for resource mobilization to build effective institutions. It will serve as a roadmap for policymakers seeking to address economic disruptions.
• Leveraging African Capital for the Energy Transition: This side event will explore blended finance mechanisms to accelerate renewable energy expansion and support a just, climate-resilient transition.
• Empowering Africa’s Agripreneurs: Focused on young agricultural innovators, this event will highlight the role of youth in transforming Africa’s agriculture sector, a key driver of economic growth.
• Regional Corridors as Drivers of Integration: Discussions will underscore the importance of infrastructure investments, such as road and rail networks, in boosting intra-African trade and unlocking underutilized natural and agricultural resources. The AfDB has invested over $50 billion in infrastructure over the past decade, reinforcing its role as a leading multilateral funder in this space.
• Harnessing Civil Society’s Role: This session will emphasize the growing partnership between the AfDB and civil society organizations (CSOs), highlighting their role in inclusive development. The Bank’s engagement with CSOs has strengthened over the past decade, giving a “voice to the voiceless” through initiatives like the Civil Society and Community Engagement division.

A Decade of Impact and a Vision for the Future

The 2025 meetings will also reflect on the AfDB’s transformative achievements under Dr. Adesina’s leadership. Over the past decade, the Bank has facilitated access to drinking water and sanitation for 96.2 million Africans, connected over 25 million people to electricity, and trained more than 4 million individuals across various sectors. The Bank’s High 5s strategy—focusing on energy, agriculture, industrialization, integration, and quality of life—has impacted over 565 million people, with 128 million gaining access to improved health services.

Looking ahead, the AfDB’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033) will guide its efforts to scale these impacts. The strategy aligns with global frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the Paris Climate Agreement, emphasizing digital transformation, robust governance, and climate resilience. The 2025 meetings will also address the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is seen as a critical milestone for regional integration and economic growth.

Navigating Global Challenges

The meetings come at a time of significant global economic shifts. With proposed U.S. funding cuts of $555 million and reduced USAID support, African nations are urged to diversify trade partners and strengthen internal markets. Dr. Adesina has warned of potential economic disruptions due to these policy shifts, underscoring the need for Africa to build resilience through domestic production and regional cooperation. The AfDB’s role as a convener of global thought leaders will be critical in shaping strategies to address these challenges.

A Call to Action

The 2025 AfDB Annual Meetings in Abidjan will be more than a gathering of leaders—they will be a defining moment for Africa’s economic future. By focusing on mobilizing the continent’s vast resources and fostering inclusive development, the AfDB aims to empower African nations to overcome obstacles and achieve sustainable growth. As Dr. Adesina reflected, “A Mission, Not a Job!” his decade-long leadership has laid a strong foundation for the Bank’s next chapter. The incoming president will inherit a dynamic institution poised to lead Africa toward greater financial sovereignty and resilience.

For those interested in participating, registration details and the full program are available at the official AfDB Annual Meetings website (https://am.afdb.org). Journalists wishing to attend must submit a press card and employer letter to [email protected] to receive a registration code. With its blend of high-level dialogues, innovative knowledge events, and a focus on transformative action, the 2025 Annual Meetings promise to be a catalyst for Africa’s development journey.

The Trump administration has initiated talks with Rwanda to accept migrants deported from the United States, marking a significant escalation in its immigration crackdown. Announced by Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe on May 5, 2025, these discussions aim to position Rwanda as a third-country destination for deportees, including non-Rwandan nationals. This move has sparked concerns about human rights, international law, and geopolitical motivations, given Rwanda’s controversial record.
Since January 2025, President Donald Trump has prioritized mass deportations. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio openly stated the administration’s intent to send “despicable human beings” to distant countries. In March 2025, the U.S. deported Iraqi refugee Omar Abdulsattar Ameen to Rwanda, a case seen as a potential model.

Rwanda has positioned itself to accept migrants from Western nations, having previously struck a controversial deal with the UK in 2022 to accept asylum seekers, which was later scrapped due to legal and human rights concerns. Foreign Minister Nduhungirehe emphasized Rwanda’s willingness to offer migrants “another chance,” though details regarding financial compensation are still under negotiation.
The prospect of deporting migrants to Rwanda has alarmed human rights advocates. The UNHCR has warned that deportees could face onward deportation to unsafe countries, potentially violating international refugee law. Rwanda’s human rights record, including allegations of extrajudicial killings and suppression of dissent under President Paul Kagame, has drawn scrutiny. Critics argue Rwanda is unsuitable, citing concerns about rigged elections and jailed journalists.

The timing of these talks is also notable, as the U.S. is mediating a peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where Rwanda is accused of backing M23 rebels. Some analysts suggest Rwanda’s cooperation on deportations could be a bargaining chip to ease U.S. pressure on its regional activities.

The Trump administration’s deportation strategy faces significant legal hurdles. A federal judge in April 2025 temporarily blocked deportations to third countries without due process. Public sentiment is polarized, with some supporting Trump’s stance and others warning of potential missteps, including the mistaken deportation of American citizens. The UK’s failed Rwanda plan offers a cautionary tale, having cost substantial funds with minimal results. The lack of transparency surrounding the U.S.-Rwanda talks further raises questions about accountability.