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UN mission in Côte d’Ivoire welcomes disarmament plan from western militias

UN mission in Côte d’Ivoire welcomes disarmament plan from western militias

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The United Nations mission in Côte d’Ivoire has welcomed the commitment of the armed groups in the western region of the West African country to start disarming next Wednesday.

According to the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), the groups that have agreed on the disarmament plan include the Union of Patriots for Resistance in the Great West (UPERGO), the Association of Wé Patriots (AP-WE) and the Great West Liberation Front (FLGO).

The statement came as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative (SRSG) and UNOCI chief, Pierre Schori, and the UN election representative, Antonio Monteiro, ended a brief visit to South Africa where they met with President Thabo Mbeki, who is also the African Union (AU) mediator for Côte d'Ivoire.

Fighting erupted in Côte d'Ivoire in 2002 when rebels seeking to oust President Laurent Gbagbo seized the north, dividing the world's largest cocoa producer in two. Last year the Security Council set up UNOCI, which, along with French Licorne forces, maintains a ceasefire between Government forces, ruling the south of the country, and the major rebel group, Forces Nouvelles, controlling the north.