The African Union (AU) has pledged its support for Ivory Coast’s upcoming presidential election in October while cautioning that any instability in the West African nation could have serious implications for the wider region, already grappling with political unrest and violence.

Speaking to reporters in Abidjan on Friday, AU envoy Mahamat Saleh Annadif stressed the importance of a peaceful and credible vote. “If Ivory Coast sneezes, the whole region could catch a cold,” he warned after holding talks with President Alassane Ouattara and leading opposition figures.

Tensions have been building in the lead-up to the poll, with several prominent opposition leaders excluded from the electoral roll.

Tidjane Thiam, head of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), was barred in April over nationality concerns, while former president Laurent Gbagbo, his former ally Charles Blé Goudé, and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro were disqualified due to past criminal convictions.

President Ouattara, now 83 and in power since 2011, remains on the electoral list but has not yet announced whether he intends to run for a fourth term. He previously secured victory in the 2015 and 2020 elections with over 80% of the vote.

Annadif confirmed the AU delegation had met with all key political stakeholders during the visit, including Gbagbo, members of a major opposition coalition, ruling party officials, and the Independent Electoral Commission overseeing the poll.

“Everyone must play their part,” he said, urging all actors to contribute to a transparent and peaceful electoral process.

The AU’s engagement comes during heightened concern that political instability in Ivory Coast could further destabilise a region already beset by military coups, insecurity, and extremist violence in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.