The decision of Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara to run for a fourth term risks a return to a past era of “old guard dictator rule" in a region where democracy is increasingly being challenged,

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara says he will seek a fourth term leading the West African nation, which is due to hold elections in October.

Analysts warn Ouattara’s run for a fourth term in Ivory Coast signals a return to authoritarian rule, mirroring democratic backsliding across West Africa.