Convicted to life imprisonment in his home country, Côte d'Ivoire, and facing an international arrest warrant, Guillaume Soro expressed on November 12 a strong desire to return to his country.

Less than 24 hours after declaring his intention to return home on X, the former president of Côte d'Ivoire's National Assembly, Guillaume Soro (photo), is visiting military-ruled Niger. This information was relayed in a press release published on his social media on the morning of November 13 by the communications officer of Generations and People in Solidarity (GPS), his political party.

According to the statement, Soro Kigbafori Guillaume (GKS) "will be received in audience today (November 13) by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, President of the Transition and Head of State of Niger." "This meeting is of particular importance for Mr. SORO, who remains committed to contributing to the building of peace and harmony among the brotherly peoples of Africa".

As a reminder, the previous evening, in a video, the GPS leader revealed his plan to return to Côte d'Ivoire after years of exile. "[...] the latest arrest attempt in Istanbul proves, if proof were needed, that the only peaceful resting place Mr. Ouattara has in store for me is the tomb. No! I claim my legitimate right to life, and I will go no further in my exile. I refuse to be a fugitive," he said. "I'm putting an end to my exile, because it's hard for me to live far from my ancestral homeland in Africa," he concluded.

Mr. Soro's visit to Niamey comes amid a sub-regional political crisis, following the military takeover in Niger since July 26 and the positions taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). In the midst of this crisis, the Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara initially favored a military intervention by the sub-regional body and even announced the deployment of an Ivorian contingent to oust the coup plotters.

In Niamey, attempts to resolve the crisis have so far been unsuccessful. However, mediations continue.