On the sidelines of the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire spoke about the situation in his country and the challenges facing his presidency. The outbreak of civil war in 2002 had led to the country’s de facto partition between a rebel-controlled north and the south under former President Laurent Gbagbo. After peace agreements, elections were held in late 2010, with Mr. Ouattara internationally recognized as the winner. But Mr. Gbagbo and his supporters refused to step down, bringing several months of conflict before the forces supporting Mr. Ouattara gained control of Abidjan. Mr. Ouattara was then officially inaugurated president in May 2011. On 24 September, four months later, he gave this exclusive interview to André-Michel Essoungou (Africa Renewal) and Maha Fayek.