President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’ Ivoire recently appealed for massive international aid to save his country, whose economy, he said was facing a seven per cent slump.

The UN correspondent  reports that Ouattara made the appeal at a news conference after meeting UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon.

Ouattara said his country, the world’s biggest producer of cocoa, would need a lot of money to rebuild its economy.

Months of conflict over disputed presidential elections left thousands of people dead between November 2010 and April 2011.

Ouattara said that in the past 10 years, there had been no investment, except in the purchase of arms and ammunitions.

“This year, because of the post-election crisis, our economy will drop by seven per cent. So, we need massive support,” he said.

According to some reports, the Ivorian Government has estimated that it will need more than $25 billion of investment to rebuild the economy.

Ouattara told reporters that national reconciliation remained his priority and pledged that alleged massacres and rights abuses by all sides would be investigated.

He said the main task after reconciliation was reconstruction “because the country has been destroyed.”

Responding to questions on allegations of rights abuses by his loyalists, Ouattara stressed that he wanted reconciliation and that the country had embarked on a new beginning.

“We want rule of law, we want to protect our citizens and all the people; we want to abide by human rights, this is very important for us; we don’t want discrimination.

“We have reconciliation under one track but the judicial system will also do its work and justice will be for everyone; there will be no distinction.”

The Ivorian leader said he had met with the Presidents of Ghana, and Liberia in recent weeks to discuss security cooperation.

He said he had secured an agreement with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to boost border security and to exchange information on mercenaries crossing their borders.

Ouattara warned that mercenaries would pose a greater threat to Liberia and Cote d’ Ivoire, because of the upcoming elections in Liberia.

He added that an agreement was also secured with Ghana, where thousands of Ivorians had sought refuge, for the repatriation of any Ivorians found to have committed crimes to face charges in their country.

Ouattara said former President Laurent Gbagbo and wife his, Simone, remained under detention at a presidential residence in the north of the country.

He said no decision had been taken as to whether Gbagbo would face trial in the country or before the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.

“Even if they were to be found guilty, dignity and consideration should be given to them because of their rank.”

Ouattara is to meet U.S. President Barack Obama and the head of the World Bank, and International Monetary Fund in Washington on Friday, to discuss ways to revamp the Ivorian economy.