Ivory Coast is voting in a presidential election on Saturday, as 83-year-old incumbent, Alassane Ouattara aims to secure a fourth term.
Ouattara has claimed credit for nearly 15 years of economic growth and relative stability while strongly hinting it will be his final campaign.
A former international banker and deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Ouattara came into power in 2011 after a four-month civil war that killed around 3,000 people.
Former president and rival, Laurent Gbagbo and former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam have been classified as i eligible.
Prominent opposition figures ,Jean-Louis Billon and Simone Gbagbo, will challenge Ouattara in the presidential election.
However, Ouattara said a fourth term would be one of “generational transmission.”
He said, “We know that the country needs to renew its team,” he said. “It’s not easy to work at the same pace at our age.”
More than eight million people are registered to vote on Saturday. Polling stations open at 0800 GMT and close at 1800 GMT.
Provisional results are expected within five days. A runoff will be held if no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote.
