The recent eviction of 133 farmers from the Gesco Rivière area in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, has raised significant international human rights concerns. Amnesty International has called upon Ivorian authorities to provide compensation to these farmers, who were evicted without prior consultation and adequate notice. The absence of compensation has resulted in not only the loss of livelihoods but also has driven these families into poverty, consequently affecting children’s right to education. Amnesty International emphasized the necessity for the compensation to be aligned with both national and international human rights standards.
In March 2024, Ivorian authorities pledged to compensate affected households with 250,000 FCFA (approximately €372). Nevertheless, this promise remains unfulfilled. Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa, highlighted the urgent requirement for implementing compensation measures. He asserted that the state must adhere to domestic and international human rights obligations to ensure protection of property rights and access to education, as outlined in articles 14, 17, and 22 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR). Similarly, Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) necessitates safeguarding the rights to adequate housing and an adequate standard of living.
The farming community, led by Guillaume Ballé Zilé and organized under the Agro-Past Eburny association, has inhabited the 4.6-hectare land since 2011, originally under permission from a state enterprise to develop agro-pastoral infrastructure. The eviction process, however, was halted in November 2024 due to flooding risks. Despite this, the Ministry of Animal Production and Fisheries Resources has yet to address these issues at local governance levels, such as Yopougon town hall or the Autonomous District of Abidjan.
The planned demolitions in Abidjan involved 176 sites, including critical areas like Gesco, Boribana, Banco 1, and Abattoir, raising further concerns about the large-scale impact on families in these communities. The fate of these households remains uncertain as calls for adequate compensation and a structured relocation process continue. Read more about this issue here.