Côte d’Ivoire: Ban Ki-moon hails rival parties’ accord, calls for full implementation

Welcoming the signing of an agreement between rival leaders in Côte d’Ivoire, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on the parties to implement “in full and in good faith” the accord in the West African country that has been divided between the Government-controlled south and the rebel-held north since 2002.

“The Secretary-General is especially pleased to note that the agreement addresses the key issues that had blocked progress on identification of the population, disarmament, reform and restructuring of the armed forces, restoration of State authority throughout the country, reunification of the country and the preparation of the voters list, in order to ensure credible, free and fair elections,” a statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said.

The talks between President Laurent Gbagbo, whose forces control the south of a country that was the world’s top cocoa producer, and Forces Nouvelles Secretary-General Guillaume Soro, who holds the north, were held in Ouagadougou, capital of neighbouring Burkina Faso, and Mr. Ban commended Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaoré for “his effective facilitation role.”

The Secretary-General “assures him and the Ivorian leaders of the commitment and readiness of the United Nations to assist in the implementation of the agreement,” the statement said.

Mr. Ban noted that the Ouagadougou agreement builds upon Security Council resolution 1721 of last November that underlined previous agreements calling for free, open, fair and transparent elections by 31 October this year at the latest.

“The Secretary-General stresses that this agreement was drawn up by the Ivorian leaders themselves, which places on them a special responsibility to implement it in full and in good faith,” the statement concluded. “He looks forward to further discussions with President Compaoré and the Ivorian leaders on details of the provisions of the agreement and the role the United Nations is expected to play.”

The UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) has nearly 9,000 total uniformed personnel in the country, including 7,850 troops and nearly, 1,000 police with a mandate to monitor the cessation of hostilities and movements of armed groups, help in disarmament and dismantling of militias and contribute to the security of the operations of identification of the population and registration of voters.

The mandate also includes reform of the security sector, monitoring an arms embargo, providing humanitarian assistance, facilitating the re-establishment by the Government of the authority of the State throughout Côte d’Ivoire, and support for the organization of open, free, fair and transparent elections.