Ivory Coast Civil War (Gbagbo vs Ouattara) Threatens World Cocoa Supplies & Price

The African Country of the Ivory Coast is on the brink of civil war according to multiple sources. More famed for its football team, the Ivory Coast should perhaps be more famous as the world's largest single producing country for Cocoa. Ghana and Indonesia have been out on standby to increase their Cocoa crop in light of this crisis.

World cocoa prices could soar once again if the expected decline into civil war occurs. Cocoa prices rose to a 34-year high in March. The tensions have escalated following last year's elections where Gbagbo lost but has refused to step down. It is internationally recognised that Gbagbo lost the election to Ouattara.

Forces loyal to Gbagbo are known to wave the Ivory Coast Flag with pride. Ouattara loyalists still value the Ivory Coast Flag but have also been waving the French Flag, as kind of a protest to Gbagbo's rule.

The United Nations are now planning to intervene. Y.J. Choi the UN Envoy to the Ivory Coast recently spoke about Gbagbo's forces saying "We are planning action, we can no longer condone reckless and mindless attack on civilians and the United Nations blue helmets with heavy weapons." This follows clashes where 800 people in the town of Duekoue have died in the past week alone. The UN has the power to stop action against citizens but can't remove Gbagbo from power.

Ouattara's forces are expected to launch a major offensive on Abidjan, the commercial centre of the Ivory Coast at anytime.