20101109
reuters

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast will hold the decisive second round of its long-delayed presidential election on November 28, a week later than previously announced, prime minister Guillaume Soro announced on Tuesday.

The vote is aimed at ending the years of political deadlock that have discouraged investment in the top cocoa grower since a 2002-2003 civil war divided it into a government-controlled south and rebel-held north.

Results of an October 31 first round put incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo on 38 percent and challenger Alsassane Ouattara on 32 percent with a voter turnout of about 80 percent, one of the highest seen in a genuinely multi-party African election.

"For practical, technical and equipment reasons, the independent electoral commission has asked for an extra week to prepare the election in the best possible conditions," Soro told a news conference.

The postponement puts the election back to the initial date proposed for the vote before the constitutional council at the weekend surprised observers by naming November 21 for the vote.

"It's a good thing if it is to better prepare the election but as we saw in Guinea postponements can lead to problems," said DaMina Advisors chief analyst Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, referring to tensions that built up in Ivory Coast's neighbour over a presidential election that finally happened on Sunday.

"It gives tensions that bit longer to simmer. In some sense the earlier you get these votes out of the way the better."