Geo-governance of peri-urban land conflicts in Yamoussoukro (Côte d'Ivoire)

This article aims to help the governance of peri-urban land conflicts from an approach focused on the control of urban sprawl, which is the paramount characteristic of Yamoussoukro, the political Capital City of Côte d'Ivoire. The study starts with a prospective approach to this phenomenon to identify prospects for a sustainable conflict resolution. It therefore comes within the framework of the quest for a spatial cohesion to lead to social cohesion that is today undermined by a rampant urbanization. Our proactive approach is based on the principles of participatory governance to analyze the issue of urban sprawl and the conflicts it generates on the urban periphery. The results have revealed that the city expanded from 1,083 ha in 1970 to 30,452 ha today. This strong spatial growth to the detriment of rural lands accounts for the recurrence of land conflicts in the villages.