Ivory Coast hopefuls neck and neck

The first major results from an election aimed at reuniting war-divided Ivory Coast show a tight race between President Laurent Gbagbo and the West African nation's main opposition leader Alassane Ouattara.

Electoral commission spokesman Bamba Yacouba yesterday announced vote tallies from about 2.2 million of the country's 5.7 million registered voters so far.

The results show Gbagbo and Ouattara each with about 35 per cent of votes cast.

Ex-President Henri Konan Bedie was in third place with about 27 per cent.

The vote, the first since a brief civil war split the world's No 1 cocoa producer in two, is seen as a critical turning point in Ivory Coast's history.

Many hope it will restore stability and reunify the country, but some worry it could trigger unrest if political rivals fail to accept the outcome.