Amnesty International has called on the Ivorian government to compensate 133 farmers who were evicted from the Gesco Rivière site in Abidjan last year, leaving them without livelihoods. The rights group condemned the lack of consultation and proper compensation for the affected farmers, many of whom lost their farms and fishponds when authorities demolished their properties.
The evictions, which also impacted the Agro-Past Ebury association, left the farmers and their workers impoverished, and some children were reportedly deprived of education. Despite promises of 250,000 FCFA (roughly €372) per household in March 2024, the government has not yet fulfilled this commitment.
Amnesty International’s Marceau Sivieude stressed that compensation must adhere to national and international human rights standards. While authorities can carry out evictions under certain conditions, they must respect the right to property, education, and economic development as outlined in the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Guillaume Ballé Zilé, president of the Agro-Past Ebury association, explained that the affected farmers had lived on the 4.6-hectare site since 2011, with official approval for agro-pastoral activities. The evictions, part of a broader plan to demolish 176 sites in flood-prone areas, were suspended in November 2024, but no action has been taken to resolve the issue.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about forced evictions and the need for greater adherence to human rights obligations in Côte d’Ivoire.
