Ivory Coast deal may seal Ouattara's reelection, fuel uncertainty

Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara salutes during a parade to commemorate the country's 54th Independence Day, outside the presidential palace in Abidjan August 7, 2014. REUTERS/Luc Gnago

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - An endorsement from Ivory Coast's influential former leader Henri Konan Bedie has cleared President Alassane Ouattara's path to reelection next year but fuels uncertainty over the booming nation's longer-term future.

The move practically guarantees victory for Ouattara and continuity for the powerhouse of West Africa, which has bounced back from civil war and strife to hit growth of around 9 percent last year and attract strong foreign investment.