Ivory Coast's Gbagbo in the ICC dock

Former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo on Thursday becomes the first ex-head of state to stand trial at the world's only permanent war crimes court, five years after triggering political unrest which left 3 000 people dead.

Gbagbo's highly-anticipated appearance in the dock at the International Criminal Court (ICC) is the culmination of upheaval which wracked the west African nation when he refused to stand down after losing elections in November 2010 to bitter old rival Alassane Ouattara.

The political stand-off triggered an international crisis, with the European Union, the United States and former colonial power France all recognising Ouattara as the winner.

Weeks of tensions dragged into a bloody five-month stalemate with Gbagbo holed up in the fortress-like presidential palace, until he was eventually arrested by Ouattara's troops aided by UN and French forces.

Gbagbo's notorious wife, known as "the Iron Lady", was sentenced to 20 years jail last year at a trial in Abidjan for her role in the events.

Alongside his former ally, Charles Ble Goude, Gbagbo, 70, now faces four charges of crimes against humanity, accused of devising and implementing a plan to extend his 10-year rule through a brutal campaign of murders and rapes.

Both men will be asked how they plead at the start of their joint trial on Thursday in the new ICC premises nestled in the sand dunes of the Dutch city of The Hague.