‘Last chance’ for Ivorian leader

On Monday, supporters of Alassane Ouattara took over the Ivory Coast’s embassy in Paris

The African Union has asked Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga to lead its efforts to resolve the political crisis in Ivory Coast.

The AU said Mr Odinga had been asked to “follow through the crisis”, a month after the country’s disputed polls.

The Union and other international bodies say incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo is not the legitimate winner.

Meanwhile, supporters of his rival, Alassane Ouattara, briefly took over the Ivory Coast embassy in Paris.

Some 20 protesters spent six hours in the building on Monday calling for Mr Gbagbo to step aside, before leaving peacefully, French television reported.

The move came after France, the former colonial power, recognised Mr Ouattara’s proposed envoy as the country’s ambassador.

Mr Ouattara’s victory in 28 November polls was overturned by the Constitutional Council, a body headed by a Gbagbo ally, citing claims that results were rigged in the north.

As pressure mounts on Mr Gbagbo to step aside, a delegation of heads of state – from Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde – from the West African body Ecowas is planning to travel to the country on Tuesday.

The regional group has warned Mr Gbagbo of possible military intervention if he does not hand over to Mr Ouattara, who has been recognised internationally as the victor.

Mr Gbagbo’s Interior Minister Emile Guirieoulou told a news conference that his government would “welcome the three heads of states as brothers and friends, and listen to the message they have to convey”.

Armed and ready for Ivorian intervention?

Correspondents say the AU’s appointment is another setback for Mr Gbagbo, as Mr Odinga has been hawkish on the crisis, and was the first African leader to call for military action.

Mr Odinga has said he planned to talk to Mr Gbagbo, but would wait for the outcome of the Ecowas talks before deciding his next move.

“[Mr Gbagbo] has of course portrayed himself as a democrat all his life, that’s why he lived very many years in France in exile,” Mr Odinga told the BBC. “So I think I’m going to try to impress upon him that the time has come for him to lead by example.”

“This, I think, is something that needs to be said and to tell him also that he risks becoming an international pariah if he tries to continue to cling to power. Going by the current trends he will have no friends left any more anyway.”

Mr Odinga was named Kenya’s prime minister in 2008 in a coalition government after weeks of political unrest.

However he dismissed the possibility of power-sharing between Mr Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara, saying that the election commission, not the constitutional court, was the only legitimate authority to determine the winner.

The BBC’s John James says the atmosphere in Abidjan is tense; while less violent than a few days ago, everyone fears a military intervention in the coming weeks.

Ivorians had hoped these elections would close the chapter on the country’s most difficult 10 years, but instead they have opened up a new period of instability, adds our correspondent.

Mr Ouattara earlier called for a general strike on Monday as part of his protest, but many residents in the main city of Abidjan appeared to ignore the request.

Pressure mounts on Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo

However later in the day the message seemed to have spread, with AFP news agency reporting disruption to public transport and isolated street barricades springing up.

His supporters are still hoping that the strike may take hold on Tuesday, as the call came fairly late on Sunday evening, our reporter says.

Mr Ouattara and his shadow government are currently in an Abidjan resort, protected by about 800 UN peacekeepers.

Mr Gbagbo, who has accused the US and France of leading a plot against him, insists he is legally president.

“Did the Ivorians elect me or not? That’s the only question. I’m not looking for compromise. Truth is not looking for compromise. I want truth,” he said.

The UN has said at least 173 people have died in violence, and scores of others have been tortured.

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