Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said on Thursday he would like to continue serving his country as president but emphasised that his party had not yet made a formal decision on its candidate for this year's election.

Ouattara, 83, was re-elected for a contested third term in 2020. He has previously said he would like to step down, but has also suggested he would need old rivals to commit to withdrawing from politics too.

"I am in good health and eager to continue serving my country," he said in an address to the diplomatic corps in Abidjan, the strongest signal yet that he plans to stand again.

In September, the ruling party expressed its support for a potential Ouattara candidacy in the 2025 election, which is scheduled for October, but the official nomination and acceptance have yet to take place.