Ivory Coast in coup attempt scare

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has been in office since April 2011.In the 2010 presidential election, Ouattara ran against incumbent Laurent Gbagbo. In the crisis that followed, Ouattara attempted to negotiate with Gbagbo for several months but seeing no resolution, ordered a military offensive which allowed him to seize control of most of the country.

In the above picture Laurent Gbagbo appearing on Ivorian television channel TCI shortly after his capture in a hotel room of the Golf Hotel in Abidjan, Ivory Coast 11 April 2011. He was captured at his besieged residence in Abidjan by French special forces who handed him over to Ouattara's forces in Abidjan April 11 2011.

Laurent Gbagbo appears for the first time before the International Criminal Court (ICC),in Hague Netherlands Dec. 2011.He is accused of playing a role in the aftermath of presidential polls in Nov. 2010.

United Nations soldiers from Niger conduct a patrol through the streets of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Seven U.N. peacekeepers part of the Niger contingent were killed in an ambush June 8, 2012 in a remote area of southwestern Ivory Coast while trying to protect civilians threatened by attacks from unknown gunmen.

Troops from Morocco taking part in the UN peace-keeping mission in Ivory Coast.The United Nations has had a peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast since 2004 to prevent the country from sliding back into anarchy.

Ivory Coast the world's largest exporter of cocoa, and the fourth largest exporter of goods in general in sub-Saharan Africa (following South Africa, Nigeria and Angola).In recent years due to political instability, Ivory Coast has been subject to greater competition and falling prices in the global marketplace for its primary agricultural crops: coffee and cocoa.

Didier Drogba is one of the world's most celebrated footballer players.In this picture he celebrates his team's victory(Chelsea) against Bayern Munich after the Champions League final soccer match at the Allianz Arena in Munich, May 19, 2012.He scored the crucial goal that saw both teams play extra time.The winner was decided after spot-kicks,with Drogba again scoring the winning penalty.

Once an oasis of peace and considered an African elephant in league with Asian tigers.In the early 90's,Ivory Coast boasted of a fast growing economy in Africa adding oil, minerals, industry and banking to its traditional wealth from coffee and cocoa.But now Ivory Coast has been plunged into political uncertainity with the majority of the population enduring extreme poverty levels.