Glossary of Acronyms

BAE

Brigade anti-émeute (Anti-riot unit), an elite security force loyal to Gbagbo throughout the post-election crisis.

BCEAO

Banque Centrale des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest ( Central Bank of West African States), a central bank serving eight West African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire.

CECOS

Centre de Commandement des Opérations de Sécurité (Security Operations Command Center), an elite rapid-reaction force, linked closely to Gbagbo during the conflict, whose members are drawn from the army, the gendarmerie, and the police.

CEI

Commission Electorale Indépendante (Independent Electoral Commission).

CRS

Compagnie Républicaine de Sécurité (Republican Security Company), an elite police force, loyal to Gbagbo during the conflict.

FAFN

Forces Armées des Forces Nouvelles (Armed Forces of the New Forces), the military arm of the alliance of three different armed movements, who controlled the northern half of the country since 2002.

FDS

Forces de Défense et de Sécurité (Defense and Security Forces), a term used to refer collectively to the army, the gendarmerie, and the police.

FESCI

Fédération Estudiantine et Scolaire de Côte d’Ivoire (Student Federation of Côte d’Ivoire), a violent, pro-Gbagbo student group that both Charles Blé Goudé and Guillaume Soro once led.

FLGO

Front de Libération du Grand Ouest (Far West Liberation Force), a pro-Gbagbo militia force in the country’s far west led by Maho Glofiéi.

FPI

Front Populaire Ivoirien (Ivorian Popular Front), the political party of former president Laurent Gbagbo.

LMP

La Majorité Presidentielle (The Presidential Majority), the political coalition of Gbagbo and several other minor political parties.

MFA

Mouvement des Forces de l’Avenir (Movement of the Forces of the Future), a small political party that was part of Ouattara’s political coalition.

MJP

Mouvement pour la Justice et la Paix (Movement for Justice and Peace), armed rebel movement that emerged in western Côte d’Ivoire in 2002, later integrated into the Forces Nouvelles.

MPCI

Mouvement Patriotique de Côte d’Ivoire (Patriotic Movement of Côte d’Ivoire), armed rebel group who seized control of northern Côte d’Ivoire in 2002, the largest single constituent of the Forces Nouvelles.

MPIGO

Mouvement Populaire Ivoirien du Grand Ouest (Ivorian Popular Movement for the Great West), armed rebel movement that emerged in western Côte d’Ivoire in 2002, later integrated into the Forces Nouvelles.

ONUCI

Opération des Nations Unies en Côte d’Ivoire (United Nations Operations in Côte d’Ivoire, or UNOCI), the UN peacekeeping misssion.

PDCI

Parti Démocratique de la Côte d’Ivoire (Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire), a political party led by former president Henri Konan Bédié, part of the RHDP political alliance.

RDR

Rassemblement des Républicains (Rally of the Republicans), the political party of current president Alassane Ouattara.

RPG

Rocket-propelled grenade.

RHDP

Rassemblement des Houphouétistes pour la Démocratie et la Paix (Houphouetist Rally for Democracy and Peace), political alliance of parties including the PDCI, RDR, UDCI, and MFA.

RTI

Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (Ivoirian Radio-Television), the national television station, controlled by the Gbagbo government during the crisis.

UDCI

Union Démocratique de Côte d’Ivoire (Democratic Union of Côte d’Ivoire), a party in the RHDP political coalition.