Charles Blé Goudé reflects on 2002 Côte d'Ivoire mobilization

Twenty-four years after the mass political mobilization on October 2, 2002, former youth leader Charles Blé Goudé is reflecting on the event's role in Côte d'Ivoire’s political history. The mobilization occurred during a period of armed conflict that began with an uprising on September 19, 2002, which split the country between government-controlled southern territories and rebel-held northern and western regions.

Blé Goudé, who returned to Abidjan from studies in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of violence, played a central role in organizing the October 2 demonstration in support of the nation's republican institutions. While the event was a major public mobilization during a national emergency, Blé Goudé has since emphasized a transition toward a culture of non-violence, dialogue, and electoral participation, describing himself as a ‘partisan of the ballot box’ in recent years.