Austerity measures are put in place with the assistance of the IMF and World Bank. The IMF grants an extended fund facility of SDR484 million for 1981 through 1984. The first year of a three-year drought. The government hounds him out of the country. He runs his opposition from Paris.
Government cuts parastatal worker's salaries by as much as two-thirds.
Previously, parastatals were allowed to set their own pay scales. All civil servants' pay is frozen for three years. A screening process is introduced to the political process after irregularities were noticed in the 1980 elections. Houphouet-Boigny is elected to his sixth term, with 100 percent of the tally. There are no rival candidates.