The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Once an anchor of political and economic stability in West Africa, Cote d’Ivoire is emerging from an armed conflict that began in 2002 and left the country divided between a rebel-controlled north and government-run south. After a four-year political stalemate and several unimplemented peace agreements, a series of "direct dialogue" negotiations between President Gbagbo and Forces Nouvelles rebel leader Guillaume Soro in March 2007, mediated by Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaoré, led to the Ouagadougou Political Accord. The Accord allowed for the appointment of Soro as prime minister and paved the way for a national identification process to confirm the citizenship or immigration status of millions of Ivoirians and people residing in Cote d’Ivoire who lack identity documents. In October 2007, specially appointed magistrates were deployed throughout the country to preside over audiences foraines (mobile courts) that could provide jugements supplétifs (supplemental birth certificates) to individuals who were born in Cote d’Ivoire but whose births were never officially registered. Claimants who have at least one parent of Ivorian nationality can use the supplemental birth certificate to obtain a national identity card and register to vote. The outcome of the identification process will affect the accuracy of the voter roll which, in turn, will impact the credibility of presidential and legislative elections expected to take place in the first quarter of 2009.

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