▁I vor ian ▁population ▁has ▁suffered ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁on going ▁civil ▁war . ▁International ▁human - right s ▁organizations ▁have ▁noted ▁problems ▁with ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁capt ive ▁non - com bat ants ▁by ▁both ▁sides ▁and ▁the ▁re - emer gence ▁of ▁child ▁sla very ▁in ▁c ocoa ▁production . ▁ ▁Although ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁fighting ▁ended ▁by ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁country ▁remained ▁split ▁in ▁two , ▁with ▁the ▁north ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁Forces . ▁A ▁new ▁president ial ▁election ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁and ▁the ▁rival ▁parties ▁agreed ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁proceed ▁with ▁this , ▁but ▁it ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁post pon ed ▁until ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁due ▁to ▁del ays ▁in ▁its ▁prepar ation . ▁ ▁E lections ▁were ▁finally ▁held ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁The ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁elections ▁was ▁held ▁peace fully , ▁and ▁widely ▁ha iled ▁as ▁free ▁and ▁fair . ▁Run offs ▁were ▁held ▁ 2 8 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁after ▁being ▁delayed ▁one ▁week ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁date ▁of ▁ 2 1 ▁November . ▁Laurent ▁G bag bo ▁as ▁president ▁ran ▁against ▁former ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁A lass ane ▁O u att ara . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁December , ▁the ▁Elect oral ▁Commission ▁declared ▁that ▁O u att ara ▁had ▁won ▁the ▁election ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁ 5 4 % ▁to ▁ 4 6