The African Union on Friday vowed to support Côte d'Ivoire's October election, warning that instability could shake a region already rocked by coups and jihadist violence.
"If Ivory Coast sneezes, the whole region could catch a cold," AU envoy Mahamat Saleh Annadif told reporters after talks in Abidjan, where he met President Alassane Ouattara and opposition leaders.
Several high-profile opposition figures have been barred from running, fuelling tensions ahead of the vote.
PDCI leader Tidjane Thiam was struck from the electoral roll in April over questions about his nationality, while ex-president Laurent Gbagbo, his former ally Charles Ble Goude and exiled ex-premier Guillaume Soro were disqualified due to past convictions.
Fourth term
Ouattara, 83, who has been in power since 2011, is included on the electoral list but has yet to announce if he will seek a fourth term.
In 2015 and 2020, Ouattara won with more than 80 percent of the vote.
Annadif said the delegation had spoken to all political players.
"Everyone must play their part," he said after the meeting with Ouattara.
During its visit, the AU delegation met Gbagbo, representatives of a major opposition coalition, the ruling party, and the Independent Electoral Commission that had been tasked with organising the vote.
