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The African Agricultural Union (French: Syndicat agricole africain, SAA) was the first quasi-political party in Côte d'Ivoire, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny throughout its existence. It was established on 3 September 1944 by Houphouët-Boigny and the colonial administration.

History

The SAA was established on 3 September 1944 by Houphouët-Boigny and the colonial administration at an inaugural meeting in Abidjan. Under his presidency, it brought together African farmers who were dissatisfied with their paychecks and worked to protect their interests against those of European settlers. Anti-colonialist and anti-racist, the organisation demanded better working conditions, higher wages, and the abolition of unfree labour. The union quickly received the support of nearly 20,000 plantation workers. Its success irritated the colonists to the extent that they took legal action against Houphouët. However, the SAA increased his popularity as the voice of the Africans.

When elected to the assemblée constituante on 4 November 1945, Houphouët-Boigny worked to implement the wishes of the SAA. He proposed a bill to abolish forced labour, the single most unpopular feature of French rule, on 1 March 1946 which the Assembly adopted in 1947. On 9 April 1946, Houphouët-Boigny, with the help of the Groupes d'études communistes d'Abidjan, recreated the SAA as the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI), the first effective party in Côte d'Ivoire and the Ivorian section of the African Democratic Rally.

Notes

1. ^ Ellenbogen, pp. 26–31.
2. "Félix Houphouët-Boigny". Encyclopædia Universalis (in French). Paris: Encyclopædia Universalis. 1975.
3. ^ Noble, Kenneth B. (1993-12-08). "Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Ivory Coast's Leader Since Freedom in 1960, Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
4. "Spécial Houphouet". Fraternité Matin (in French). Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
5. "Biographies des députés de la IV République: Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (in French). National Assembly of France. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
6. Toubabou, p. 60.
7. Amin, Samir; Bernard Nantet (1999). "Côte-d'Ivoire". Encyclopædia Universalis (in French). Paris: Encyclopædia Universalis.
8. "Felix Houphouët-Boigny". Encyclopedia of World Biography. Thomson Gale. Retrieved 2008-07-25.

References

• Ellenbogen, Alice (2002). La succession d'Houphouët-Boigny: entre tribalisme et démocratie. Paris: Harmattan. ISBN 2-7475-2950-9. OCLC 62407712.
• Toubabou, Le (2005). Le millefeuille ivoirien: un héritage de contraintes. Paris: Harmattan. ISBN 2-7475-9357-6. OCLC 62895346.

v t e Political parties in Ivory Coast
Government alliance	Rally of the Republicans Union for Democracy and Peace in Ivory Coast
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Unrepresented parties	Alliance for a New Ivory Coast Ivorian Popular Movement of the Great West Ivorian Workers' Party Movement for Justice and Peace Movement of the Forces of the Future Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast People's Socialist Union Revolutionary Communist Party of Ivory Coast Union of Democrats of Ivory Coast
Political alliances	Alliance of Democratic Forces New Forces of Côte d'Ivoire
Defunct parties	African Agricultural Union Eburnean Democratic Bloc Entente of Independents of Ivory Coast Ivorian Liberation Movement Ivorian Revolutionary Party National Liberation Committee of Ivory Coast Nationalist Party Party of the French Union of Ivory Coast Progressive Party of Ivory Coast Union of Independents of Ivory Coast
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