Main content

Tidjane Thiam, Ivory Coast opposition leader - can he run for president?

Catherine Byaruhanga speaks to Tidjane Thiam, the main opposition leader in the Ivory Coast - barred by the courts from standing for the presidency. Will he overturn the ruling?

Catherine Byaruhanga, presenter and correspondent for the 成人快手 News Channel, speaks to Tidjane Thiam, the main opposition leader in the Ivory Coast.

Mr Thiam is a former CEO of Credit Suisse, with a lengthy and successful career in the financial sector abroad. Now, he wishes to stand for the Ivory Coast presidency - but his candidacy has been blocked by an Ivorian court. It has ruled he cannot run as he was not an Ivorian citizen when he registered on the electoral roll.

Tidjane Thiam says the decision is politically motivated, a claim firmly rejected by the government of the Ivory Coast. But he is defending his right to run.

Despite years of civil war since the turn of the century, Ivory Coast has a high level of income compared to its neighbours. But Mr Thiam believes more can be done to attract investment and to boost business - and that he has the financial expertise and contacts to make it happen.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the 成人快手. You can listen on the 成人快手 World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on 成人快手 Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Catherine Byaruhanga
Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Madeleine Drury
Editor: Max Deveson

Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterview成人快手 on social media.

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Wed 7 May 2025 07:06GMT

Featured

  • .

Broadcast

  • Wed 7 May 2025 07:06GMT

Podcast