Land reform and peacebuilding in Côte d'Ivoire: Navigating the minefield

Abstract

This article explores the complex links between land reform and peacebuilding through a case study of Côte d'Ivoire. The country provides fertile ground for analysis given its torturous history of land conflict and civil war, its enduring debates surrounding land reform, and its ongoing efforts to consolidate peace. The article argues that while the failure to address the agrarian dimensions of the country's longstanding conflict undermines long‐term prospects of bridging deep political and societal divides, aggressive attempts to tackle the land question at the outset of the peacebuilding process may have threatened the fragile peace of the post‐conflict period. The analysis thus highlights the political risks involved in undertaking land reform during periods of precarious peacebuilding. In so doing, the article draws upon insights from over 70 interviews with local stakeholders and document analysis of key primary documents from the Ivorian government, the United Nations Security Council, and the World Bank.