The CIA and Ivory Coast

This Wikileaks file dates from 2012 but it's instructive with regard to Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). What is sometimes referred to as the 2^nd Civil War took place only the year before in 2011. France was the official backer of current president Alassane Ouattara and helped to track down and capture former president Laurent Gbagbo who is now being held by the ICC.

Even a cursory glance at this file makes it pretty clear that Ouattara is a creature of Washington. His biography reveals significant Western connections (Ivy League and IMF) and it's clear that both France and the United States wanted Gbagbo out of office. His time of usefulness had come to an end and from the West's perspective, a leader looking West rather than toward China was desirable.

https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/26/2667690_re-discussion-proposal-us-ivory-coast-us-providing-ouattara.html

Ouattara as a Western friendly Muslim also has a unique capacity to deal with Muslim problems in the region of West Africa.

There's an additional story here and that's the US nudging France out of its sphere of interest or at the very least taking the lead. It wouldn't be the first time Paris and Washington have moved against each other within Africa. Washington inevitably gets its way. But as long as cocoa beans, coffee and rubber keep flowing to the West, everyone is happy.

Everyone except the people being exploited of course.

http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/19/child-slavery-and-chocolate-all-too-easy-to-find/

The Ouattara era has also brought additional investment:

http://www.reuters.com/article/ivorycoast-refinery-idUSL5N0JJ3QR20131204