understand the differences and similarities of culture across the world. no matter why you call, i'll just bring you the news and current affairs. ah ah . i because all my friends are on back low returns off the 10 years following his equip on war crimes charges at the international criminal. ah, hello there, i'm the pay. this is out of their life. and also coming up zombie is founding president kenneth cohen. the dies at the age of $97.00. he was one of the last survivors of africa independent hero warnings and afghanistan's corona virus.

pandemic is spiraling out of control as it records its highest daily death toll. since the panoramic began and the u. s. congress also is a bill that would make june 19 a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the united states. i well, it has just gone $1700.00 gmc, that would be 5 pm in ivory coast where the former president lauren bag burger has recently just landed at abbey's on add port. and you can see he was met by crowd just supported eager to see him back in the country for the 1st time since his arrest back in 2011. but tensions in the city have also remained fine. you recall that fiber refused to step down often using the presidential election back in 2010 . that sparked a 4 month civil war when nearly $3000.00 people were. he was then charged with

crimes against humanity, but was then eventually acquitted by the international criminal court. when i spoke to yes but dennison who is an apologist and also a senior research at the northern africa institute. and he said he is not surprised to see this moment for the country ivory coast the return of long by boys inevitable. it had to happen at some point, and there will always be tensions. i think this is a fairly good moment for him to return. we've had 2 elections in the last, just 6 months. so, you know, during election time the situation has been much more times and i think this is a time now where the political landscape is sort of regrouping after the election. so i don't think this is the worst time for him to return. but i do think that there are lots of tensions and questions remaining around what the effects will be of, of his return to quote you or of course. and we're saying there is opposing factions already coming out onto the streets. mean,

it's so much politics at play here. this appears to have been this gesture reconciliation from what tara. but could it potentially result in more division? do you think? well, i think i would rather say that it will bring the, the existing divisions in too much clearer sight. i think the, the, the party of long by booty f p. i has been divided down the middle ever since his arrest in 2010. and there is a need for sort of an internal hopefully dialogue, but at least some kind of reckoning within the f. b. i party in relation to the ruling party and their supporters. i know there's been at the same critique that allison water hasn't really taken national reconciliation seriously enough and bad was returned to court. you've kind of put that whole situation on it on it. it brings it into relief in a way so,

so this asked him his return asks important questions about the state of ivr and democracy, but also the state of the sort of post conflict reconciliation. so again, it was bound to happen but, but of course, there are concerns that the confrontations will escalate between the 2 fighting parts of the story, the 2 opposing parties. yes, i want to ask you more about, so it's tension because i know it's been more than a decade, but for so many people, memories of that very brutal violence and 2011, a still rule. and i don't so many people are loved ones given what happened at the i see, see, is that a perception that there has been some accountability for what happened? well, i think that you still and you have this in, in, in many other countries around the world. of course you have a very polar polarized political landscape. so i think that question really depends on who you ask. i think that allison water, supporters will insist that this has been sort of unnecessary legal

present process. but there will also be some questions about the judge, the ruling and the i, c. c. and on, on the back side, you will have much more questioning about the premises of his arrest and the legal process in the have. but you will also have them the feeling that that, that his return is now a sort of redemption. so of course, if the water, if the water right government chooses to, to continue to proceed with legal allegations against fargo, that might reignite some, some tension. but i think that, you know, the focus now is, i think very much on bag bo and what his attitude towards his own political role and the role of the political opposition and the country will not take you back to the address he's at the airport. and obviously on where bad bo, very recently touched down, and we're seeing a little bit more movement there. and we know, obviously there was a fair amount of tension earlier. do we have

a sense of just what's being put in place for baggage and move on from the airport? let's talk about mr. butler. so you see the over that surrounded by security and journalist that is economy is in right now. and he's heading to that pavilion, what is expected to make the local keys and other dignitaries who are here to receive him. and. 2 basically the security yeah, is a bit tight, but again, with all this crowd is very, very difficult to manage a lot of people. i hope that this goes on very well and successful at the end of the day initially, mr. wall was supposed to come out through this and trust, which of course is the presidential for media and why the president, when he's travelling out or coming back in, is received. however, mr. bravo chose to ride through the passenger wing of the airport,

the general abuse job, all of the airport. and then he was taken inside that car and he's making its way out why he's going to make those people right. what that building is, why as tang wife, as well as members of quantum and who are there to receive him and other dignitaries, he avoided them and then follow the general attention, incited over there to meet with dignity one here on the can you describe the crowd for us, it looks like quite a diverse crowd. i know obviously since you security plenty of john less than you mentioned, some family members as well, but also members of his party. what's the mood they're like at the moment? oh, they moved. it's ecstatic from the phones of gunfire on the streets. we're hearing music now, and it's not only his party that is here, that i've got a position figure opposition candidates in the last election, who did not participate in the presidential election. who are here to welcome him, which of course signifies that the position is trying to gradually reform itself on

reunify itself to praise a challenge of mission, building or even defining the ruling party. how about what is not clear is how many members are now divided party here? i mean, the fraction but broke. i went from the main f, b i on some of them i hear. but of course there are concerns that they will challenge mr. if he decides to return back to college or not, we are here right now. but again, mr. both can be content with the fact that he is now regarded an elder statesman whose responsibility additional responsibility is to fix his government helped to create 10 years ago. so not to some huge responsibility, even if mister did not return to to quite politics. at least he has another huge responsibility on his hand. now, the government on the spot will need to be serious about reconciliation,

which is 10 years since that bond is ended. and still, i voted i divided, they're much more divided after president. what i know is that he's running for 3rd time again. but there's one that was one of the key issues that led to the general quote of the election by members of the opposition party. now the hope hear from the government from the people of ivory coast and mr. barber himself, the hope is not his for us. yeah. we'll talk to, if i fucking individuals and with the support from government and the other parties, especially victims of the postal action plan, those things could walk out gradually. but again, what we saw on the street and what we continue to see that part of re unifying this country is getting a bit more difficult for me, but go on the government of ivory coast on that. i'm curious, obviously mister barber was returning to ivory coast at the invitation of the current president president. what tara, are we expecting president tara to be at the airport to greece and will to send any

senior members of his government in order to try to begin that process of reconciliation? no, no, i doubt if mr. turner will be here, or he new senior government officials will be here already. we're talking about the victims of the war victims of the crisis who insisted but, but boy should not be treated as a hero. he's homecoming should not be homecoming hero. otherwise, they will continue to protest, not to fret, but just being taken seriously. and what did i wouldn't to a friend, he's called political bass by warming up to mister bug bowl. but again, the fact of the matter is such that whatever it is, one way or the other mister worked, needs to meet with a point in time. it's not with the former president, have you on bed yet. and then it's also for him to maneuver to talk with mr. boggle

as it is. now. more especially now that additional responsibility i've been pushed on to you to reconcile this divide admission. as we speak on that you mentioned that he is now being regarded as an elder statesman of thought. that as we've been saying, he is still very much a political figure. do we have a sense of whether or not he may return to politics? i believe we do have some audio issues that i apologize. i will try to get on the back as soon as we can. now if you're just joining us here on our area or watching a huge crowd who gathered at ivy's on airport while our own bag, where the former president has very recently landed, we do expect him to be greasing some dignitaries and, and also members of the crowd as he arrived, there was a huge tear from that crowd who gathered to meet him. there was some tension out here as well. and even shot fired as security forces were trying to do some crowd

controls. i do believe we have a correspondence address who is on the ground there for us back with us now on that, just to reprise my question earlier, do we have a sense of whether mr. bag may return to politics now that he returns to ivory coast looking at the reception is getting today. we don't know what lies beyond the walls of the app or we can discount the fact that mr. bubble will return to party politics. he is a very, very popular man in this country. he is also a controversial peak. but again, we want to see what happens in the next 2 weeks or so. and whether or not his party will re unite and return to its former glory or solve to be one of the biggest opposition party in this country. if that happens. and if mister bubble doesn't annoying just then all eyes will be on mister book. and what he wants to lead the party, and that could make the task of on someone and his ruling party. little bit difficult

. i spoke to a lot of people. i'm not a political analyst, a lot of individuals given party officials that tell me that mister bubble is a politician to the core. he still has politics and his blood. he's active, it will remain active and we cannot discount the fact that he will run in 2025, which is just whole years to go from now. so my bill, whether or not to participate in quality, it will definitely play a crucial role. busy on who becomes president of this country in the future, and who becomes the leader of these political party. they have a powerful figure indeed, on the address there with all the lessons for us from the airport in john will be bringing you more from that, as we see mister bog speak to his support as a little bit later on. but let's now bring in david sooner he is a senior research at the institute. so security studies. he joins us now from to

how does berg david, as i was just saying that on that we've seen plenty of tension on the streets of average on ahead of boys arrival today. is the country ready for this? i think they've been ready for, for a long while. he's returned to the country. in fact, some of them was better to take part in the principal elections, but unfortunately, because he was still witty in the fall. the final decision on the guy did not come back and now that the ways probably this is the for him, the best, who meant to be in the war. so you mentioned that the way is clear that i understand that but was still facing charges in ivory coast. he was sentenced to those 20 years and have a center. could that be an obstacles to him? returning to policy, i can see both ways. they have been some negotiation and discussion between them

and the governments and prior to his return. and my probably to have been some promise or lilian from the government of those with the judge to be commuted to benefit from previous grades for him to be back home. but the challenge ahead of him would be the teams of the porcelain bothers to believe that there is a sense of infinity and that's the responsibility and accountability for those who are behind the hardness of 2020 or 2011 can be established wherever that reconciliation process now within the country, wildly, we know what's happened that the international criminal court and bud boys been acquitted. that along with others. what's happening in ivory coast itself and where does that process go from here? i think of conciliation need the 2nd twos have mean some is just not for from the

government established. so it's a conciliation commission which submitted the report in 2019 or 2020 by the key recommendation of the commission to be to be implemented. among other fees, the commissioner was simply advising the government denies what they call consist of political reforms. you know which key root causes are for the key or causes of the political ability for the work of the kids. they also have govern government and political social actors to work together on demand and reform on the issues of identity. and actually the effectiveness of a letter of bodies or people will have trust in the let's what are some of the issues have been de, and didn't been 22 to be this election. we've seen that all g versus came back to

hurt or maybe it was the government to now create a minister ministry to deal with a national reconciliation. and that me, this is led by and i don't need that. why you are not that? well i and my case, i'd like to ask you about the current president and politics within his party. now, how is the tire of the thieves and how was his decision to invite fact back receive not only by his party, but also by his supporters. i think it's still with me, i would say so it's vision witness. i'm kind of relaxed, right from the beginning when it comes to the issue in several documents are wrong, but i think nobody would be in the us the be the knows the power, i would say the popularity of the room of when in the, for the why those they have not be any national. what for a lot of well, how that the remiss in the comes with the can see by the,

by the witnesses and the movement of people walking distance is from, from, from remote area. i began to witness he's on to do to do what so i did learn by war is a political actor to come on in the next political discussion to future political discussion with you. so he will be sort of king maker. i guess i'm curious because bog bow is not the fast to return. i see a number of his allies have also been returning to i because what is the political climate in the country like now, given that we're seeing a bit more of the ship? well, who said that's actually a little bit a little bit less, you actually brought down the bits of canvas to the, to the war. and the most here is our most i would say conducive for, for the return. but this does not mean that brewing cases as these those stations

and there will resurface when do the real dimension begins for now, people are very happy that is, is a back, but it doesn't student 5 that everything will be ok. there won't be any question on some of the issues that will be will be discussed, maybe should be time for government around. but what supports us, particularly those sort of from a probably the most radical side of the seeds not engage in meaningful nash. i love to, i am some of the best systems values that continue to do affect in peace and stability in the country. we've been talking a little bit about what happened in in 2010, but obviously i recurse now is also facing a huge number of other challenges. obviously security challenges, broader issues in the region, which we've seen with a number of different extremis movements there. how do you think the government is dealing with that and as back bo returns will miss. doesn't elder statesmen of thoughts?

will he be invited into into some of those discussions to try to help sold some of those challenges? i think that should be the wise way to go the way this is done by the government to, to, to, to look for because they cannot be 15 at the front, you know, and another. but of course, you want to have some missing cautions, and to the sense that we continue, we believe that the threats of a violent destiny is not on the outside of the country. it might now be inside the country and guarded as soon as used to take advantage of the 42 quality stability. so at least on the political phones that into dialogue, there is an understanding that there is only one fourty was and that everybody could be invited to nickel sufficient. peace in the ability which is very clear to you was trust president, the list of what, why you, i think i can be on that front window. but also that, that, together, that you'd be able to develop national strategy,

i guess biologists. and is it in every country in west african this i have david were watching now some some pictures from the airport of laurel vehicle, a huge crowd around that vehicle as well as security services who gathered around their obviously you were saying, this is obviously been this huge energy around his return, but there is also some questions being raised about his security outside of the airport. what do you make of those potential worries? is there a real threat to his life now that he's returning and some people feel that accountability hasn't been hired for what happens in 2010? yes. of the question related to the security security. i was at the airport values because of for the satisfaction of people who were expecting some heavy sentence from the i c. c. but who knows that you can't do that. you learn about vote for me wrong when it's not because he's, he's

a clear bill because they don't have enough evidence to prove that she has organized money and data developed. i guess the civilians in, in about $20.00 to 2010 to $2011.00. now the government also said that they put together some clinical commission technical teams to work on his personal security . and they are going to give to him in the profession that the former president of the country, according to the law, is probably the same security. that's a for the article, not as so i see, but data from the government is probably watkins to make sure he says, but also he's also work in to make sure that he's a safe from the airport to his place and from abilene, when he said to visit is village in mama lester venue or over. i'm curious, you keep talking about this moment for and i have recourse and, and say and saying this is a potentially good time for him to return. how far has the country come along in

terms of its political process? are you optimistic about where the political conversation goes from here? is there a level of sophistication and maturity? now within, i've orient politics that you have the confidence that this will be handled well. i will believe that you will not need to be taken for granted. when with it we are making progress and we've seen it last year or the business election member knows. actually we're not going to be part of the left of our process. and he actually chose and if somebody has to stand before him and then he change his mind, we've seen the level of violence that the country face. so looking at, i think the political, actual social actors, or anyone who really wants to, you want to be peaceful, need to change your attitude and to get into a discussion that have the company to really deal with some of the issues that the

remain on the table and see the government allowing him to return, deliver anybody. he's in a document, organizing everything from the space perspective for him to return with honor and dignity. i can get him off. so that will help you walk to really engage into a sustainable piece and political stability if government. so commitment political will and even from the side of what also try to accept the order that is in place and what the situation. yes, clearly it's a very, very critical moment for the country. david zalman are the senior research institute, secure she studies, speaking to us from johanna effects. great to get your thoughts. thank you, david. well, let's now return to that address. he is still at the airport for us in be sean. and we are seeing that that motorcade move

a little bit further along. huge crowds gathered. do we have a sense of where he's going? and if we might see mister bug will come out to greet some of the supporters. yes, he's proceeding to the party quarters. nobody can see the of war is moving out. just name please. because there is so much crowd on the way home. he's still within the apple sanity, and of course, just a few minutes ago we started hearing shots fired. this could be key guys. and that could be targeted either protesters or he supporters was angry, but they were not met by security forces to come and meet the hero. so we understand, unless the program has changed, immediately i believe in the airport, he's gone directly to the party headquarters. why he's going to meet part of pitfalls and dozens of supporters, if not thousands of them to address them from there and right. yeah. when he was,

when he was born in that car, to me, the dignitaries. what, what, what to what. yeah. to receive him, in fact, he did not step out of the car to go and meet them. the question now is whether another set of money would be so what, what is clear is that the security arrangement has been sorted, such that mr. moore doesn't need to be transported. it locked out your next best mission from earlier you were describing the mood, the as ecstatic. i'm curious about whether or not you think that he'll be greeted with the same level of enthusiasm outside of vehicle. absolutely, that's what is exactly happening right now from the in the distance we can the drums, gum beach as well as up dozens of support as well. i've lined up the airport ruge and of course beyond the police court on we see thousands of people,

thousands of supporters was denied and put into the apple to see the hero. but again, on the other side of town, you cannot because the fact that there are thousands, if i vote is war angry, what's happening today about the return of learning after 10 years about the is mostly victims of the violence. although he spoke to me and told me in an interview that everybody in this country is a victim of the post election ballot. he in particular said he lost his mother in a very, very depressing manner. so the process of reconciliation with a lot of ways expected to lead is going to be a very difficult one because he's the reception he got today. i'm the, if it is the record, it's his morning. he and i'll be show new lives. i'm locked up concert live a lot of room to reside. in fact, this is not be reception mister bob boyd, who support is expected. although some of the supporters are pushing the blame to the government for the providing adequate security to protect mr bible to ensure

that everything goes on fine. one particular individual is especially concerned and worried and angry that thousands of supporters were not allowed into the apple to receive mr. buckle. so if you have reconciliation, not mister but alone cannot handle it. it has to be multi pronged approach from the government, from the society, from organizations that have been trying to reconcile voters over the past 10 years or so. and even we start back by himself and including of course application dealing with that again mr. barber, it's not the only i bought in opposition. in sign right now, there are dozens of them. what out of the country? dozens of them who are notable. what played kiros in the politics of i because again, these people need to be brought back and probably if there are any charges against them, grant or some form of amnesty or presidential pot. and so the real healing process can take place as if he is now, there is a lot,

much more that needs to be done. meanwhile, backups. i just i just briefly, i do want to ask you because mr. bog, where was headed to party headquarters. this is a policy that is in itself divided right. so his strong presumably is going to be to reunite his own political party under his leadership. yeah, a lot of people will be watching how he re unites that party if you can do it. then the question of whether or not mr bible can re unite a deeper divide emission. when i write a lot of people think about me start by go should be a states man, not only to the country but also to the part to many of them. think that he needs to step aside, grew a future generation to challenge for political leadership in this country. but again, mister bowl, i mean supporters are still very, very significant in this country. he's a very popular to got with the opposition and

a lot of members of the opposition who went to other political parties in previous elections bits. not because they are, they wanted something, but because mr. buckner, who is, i keep figure is no longer there. that's the problem now. so a lot of people will be watching you reading the find somebody and then the nation . and we're seeing these hearing crowds on the streets of these on while lots of people with their arms in the air, jumping up and down and people of all generations, some young children, as well as some older people. and some young men who are singing and dancing and the streets as mr. barber's murder case goes past. you were talking earlier about divisions on the other side of town. but clearly here, he's being welcomed with a huge amount of enthusiasm and energy. you mentioned that his party is divided, we were talking about how he could re unite that. where does the youth what kind of a roles as the youth play in his party, the same.