Why did Alassane Ouattara call for a ban on cocoa exports in 2011?

In January 2011, Alassane Ouattara called for a ban on the export of cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire as a strategic measure to exert financial pressure on the administration of Laurent Gbagbo.12

Following the disputed 2010 presidential election, Gbagbo refused to relinquish power despite international recognition of Ouattara as the rightful winner. As the political standoff persisted, the international community and organizations like the United Nations and the African Union sought to force Gbagbo to step down through various sanctions and the suspension of funding. By targeting the country’s vital cocoa industry, Ouattara aimed to further isolate Gbagbo’s government by cutting off a primary source of revenue, thereby intensifying the economic pressure intended to resolve the crisis.12