Côte d’Ivoire’s political landscape shifts as Ahoua Don-Mello unveils new party initiative

Abidjan, July 2026 — Following a landmark assembly on Saturday, July 11, 2026, former presidential candidate Dr Ahoua Don-Mello and his closest allies have taken decisive steps to formalize their political ambitions by initiating the creation of a new political party in Côte d’Ivoire.

During a gathering that united supporters and key figures from his 2025 presidential campaign, participants overwhelmingly endorsed the establishment of a fresh political movement. The decision comes after months of strategic deliberation by a dedicated reflection committee, which concluded that forming a structured political party would best consolidate and sustain the momentum built during his campaign.

The assembly granted Dr Ahoua Don-Mello the mandate to lead the formation process and organize the highly anticipated “Congress of Pioneers,” which will serve as the foundational event for the upcoming party. This transition signifies the evolution of his campaign team into a formal political organization committed to driving change in Côte d’Ivoire.

The future party will champion core values including democracy, social justice, good governance, solidarity, meritocracy, and national sovereignty. In a post-assembly address, Dr Ahoua Don-Mello expressed gratitude to attendees for their unwavering support and outlined the strategic vision for the movement. He extended a call to action, urging patriotic, progressive, democratic, and sovereignist forces across Côte d’Ivoire to join this initiative in pursuit of a more equitable, prosperous, united, and fully sovereign nation.

The preparatory phase for the Congress of Pioneers has already commenced, with the official date to be announced in due course.

Dr Ahoua Don-Mello, formerly the vice-president of the African People’s Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI), ran as an independent candidate in the October 2025 presidential election after his departure from the party.