Côte d’Ivoire election process moving ahead, UN official reports
“As of today, we have 3 million people identified and in a few months the identification process will be complete,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Y. J. Choi told reporters after meeting with Alassane Ouattara, leader of the opposition Republican Rally.
The elections have already been delayed several times and Mr. Choi reaffirmed the commitment of the international community to provide the logistical, technical and financial support needed to sustain the registration process.
The UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) was set up in 2004 with support for the organization of open, free, fair and transparent elections a key element in its mandate to bring peace and stability to the world’s largest cocoa exporter. Presidential and legislative elections were originally slated to take place by 31 October 2007 at the latest.