Ivory Coast: Section 2 - Market Overview

摘要

The value of the Ivory Coast arms market has declined considerably in recent years, as the major conflicts driving demand have subsided, though, with defense spending once more on an upswing, it is possible that opportunities could open up moving forward. In March 2007, former President Laurent Gbagbo appointed former rebel leader Guillaume Soro as prime minister, thereby establishing a power-sharing government and effectively ending a long-standing civil war. As the conflict between the government forces under Gbagbo and northern rebels led by Soro had been the primary focal point for arms procurement activity in the West African country, the end of the conflict has ushered in a major reduction in military acquisitions by both sides. Where a wide array of military equipment from a diverse set of suppliers had been flowing into the country as recently as late 2003, the dynamic has since fundamentally changed. In 2003, the government of Ivory Coast took delivery of six military aircraft (four ex-Belarusian Su-25s and two ex-Bulgarian MiG-23s), over 40 military vehicles (ex-Belarusian BMP-1s, BRDM-2s, BTR-80s, and ex-Ukrainian BMP-2s), seven helicopters (two ex-Bulgarian Mi-35s, four ex-Romanian SA-330s, and one ex-Belarusian Mi-8T), and two Israeli Aerostar unmanned air vehicles (UAVs).