[1] After studying in France,[2][3] he became Côte d'Ivoire's first ambassador to the United States and Canada following independence in 1960,[2] and from 1966 to 1977, he served in the government as Minister of Economy and Finance.

[2][3] While serving as Finance Minister, Bédié became the first Chairman of the IMF and World Bank's joint Development Committee,[2][4] holding that post from 1974 to 1976.

He had resided in the United States since 1990 while serving as deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, and his father was rumored to be Burkinabe.

Bédié fled to a French military base before leaving Côte d'Ivoire by helicopter on 26 December and going to Togo, along with family members.

Speaking on French television, Bédié said that he was not worried that he might be returned to Ivory Coast to face trial at the hands of a government that he deemed illegal, expressing his "faith in the law of France".

He also said that the nationalistic concept of Ivoirité, which was promoted during his presidency, was an attempt to bolster "cultural identity" and not a means of political exclusion.

[25] When the PDCI Congress was eventually held in April 2002, Bédié defeated Laurent Dona Fologo for the party leadership; he received 82% of the vote.

[27] Bédié addressed a rally in Dabou on 22 September 2007, in which he declared the need for a "shock treatment" to return the country to normal,[28] promised to restore the economy,[28] and strongly criticized Gbagbo.

[29] In June 2020, Bédié announced that he would run in the October presidential election on behalf of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire.