Côte d’Ivoire election process moving ahead, UN official reports

Despite some problems, voter identification and registration in Côte d’Ivoire have been positive overall in the run-up to elections, a key element in resolving a political crisis that in 2002 divided the West African country into a rebel-held north and Government-controlled south, a top United Nations official said today.

“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.