%. ▁In ▁response , ▁the ▁G bag bo - aligned ▁Constitution al ▁Council ▁rejected ▁the ▁declaration , ▁and ▁the ▁government ▁announced ▁that ▁country ' s ▁borders ▁had ▁been ▁se aled . ▁An ▁I vor ian ▁military ▁sp okes man ▁said , ▁" The ▁air , ▁land , ▁and ▁sea ▁border ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁are ▁closed ▁to ▁all ▁movement ▁of ▁people ▁and ▁goods ." ▁ ▁Foreign ▁relations ▁▁ ▁In ▁Africa , ▁I vor ian ▁diplom acy ▁fav ors ▁step - by - step ▁economic ▁and ▁political ▁co operation . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁formed ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁Ent ente ▁with ▁D ah ome y ▁( Ben in ), ▁Upper ▁Vol ta ▁( B urk ina ▁F aso ), ▁Niger ▁and ▁T ogo ; ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁the ▁African ▁and ▁Mal ag asy ▁Common ▁Organ ization ▁( OC AM ); ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁Econom ic ▁Community ▁of ▁West ▁Africa ▁( CE A O ). ▁The ▁latter ▁organisation ▁changed ▁to ▁the ▁Econom ic ▁Community ▁of ▁West ▁African ▁States ▁( E CO W AS ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁A ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁African ▁Unity ▁( O AU ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁and ▁then ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁Union ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁def ends ▁respect ▁for ▁state ▁so vere ig nt y ▁and ▁peace ful ▁co operation ▁between ▁African ▁countries . ▁