(Ivory Coast) "is the largest economy in the West African Economic and Monetary Union, constituting 40 percent of the monetary union’s total GDP."
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%B4te_d'Ivoire#Economy)

"The current state of affairs in the Ivory Coast is that the French still rule through the back door. If the plain truth be told, the Ivory Coast, like most of the former French colonies, remain a vast plantation designed and sustained purposely to serve as a source of cheap raw materials for multiple French industries. France is determined to continue maintaining its stranglehold on Ivory Coast. We shouldn’t let our people be the donkeys on which they hop back on their gravy train............
One can bet that the considerable reconstruction funds that are almost certain to follow the soldiers, would without any doubt all be given to “companies with experience” (note the usual euphemism.) But even worse than that, the Ivory Coast will go right back to being the French plantation run remotely by absentee le’ blue landlords and capitalists that it is. Old wine will go right into new bottles and nothing will change."

( http://www.saharareporters.com/article/ecomog-goes-cote-d%E2%80%99ivoire)

Which raw materials does Ivory Coast provide?
Iron and Steel,
Coffee,
Palm Oil,
Timber,
Cocoa,
(and of course) Cocaine....

"The country is the world's largest exporter of cocoa, and the fourth largest exporter of goods in sub-Saharan Africa (following South Africa, Nigeria and Angola).[38]
The maintenance of close ties to France since independence in 1960, diversification of agriculture for export, and encouragement of foreign investment, have been factors in the economic growth of Côte d'Ivoire. In recent years Côte d'Ivoire has been subject to greater competition and falling prices in the global marketplace for its primary agricultural crops: coffee and cocoa. That, compounded with high internal corruption, makes life difficult for the grower and those exporting into foreign markets." [we can't have that can we?]
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%B4te_d'Ivoire#Economy)

Ivory Coast also occupies an important strategic position as a major portal for the extraction of resources from landlocked countries, Burkina Faso, Niger etc....

Its a familiar story of course, and what's more, Ouattara and his supporters seem to have committed even worse crimes against humanity than Gbagbo.
Obviously I do not intend to support Gbagbo, but compared to Ouattara, and also to many other world leader types...... well all I can say is that if democracy and human right really are the priorities (of Sarkozy!!!!!!!) then I WILL EAT MY HAT.