With our correspondent in Abidjan, Sidy Yansané

Tuesday, July 27 will therefore mark the first meeting between Alassane Ouattara and Laurent Gbagbo since the post-electoral crisis of 2010-2011, which caused the death of more than 3,000 people in Ivory Coast according to the UN. It will also be their first meeting since the return of the historic opposition figure last month.

Over the past ten days, and through the media, the tone was beginning to rise between the ruling RHDP party and the PDCI-FPI opposition coalition, against the backdrop of a third term and violence perpetrated against Ivorian populations.

Government spokesman Amadou Coulibaly asserts nonetheless that the president's hand has always been extended toward his adversaries. "There is a dialogue that began with Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, which continued with Prime Minister Hamed Bagayoko and which continues with Prime Minister Achi," he stated. "You remember all the meetings that took place to prepare for Laurent Gbagbo's return. There has never been an interruption of dialogue in our country and it will continue because such is the will of the government."

The government's voice also reveals that the two men contacted each other in early July informally. This is confirmed by Justin Katinan Koné, Laurent Gbagbo's spokesman, specifying that the latter spoke to Alassane Ouattara after his stay in Kinshasa two weeks ago.

Justin Katinan Koné welcomes this meeting, which goes in the direction of easing tensions in the country. "Our expectations are the same as those of the Ivorian people," he puts forward. That is, true and lasting national reconciliation in Ivory Coast.