Full-blown civil war may have been averted in Côte d'Ivoire, but it remains to be seen how the post-election turmoil might influence the behavior of power players in other African elections.
"The most important thing in an election is not the voting process but the aftermath," asserted a recent BBC commentary, which went on to ask, "Will losers accept the verdict? Will the winner humble the vanquished?"
Richard Downie, deputy director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic International Studies in Washington, believes Côte d'Ivoire's election is "a case of precedent," particularly within the context of U.S. policy in Africa.