Cote d'Ivoire: UN assisting in delivery of electoral materials for long-awaited polls

The United Nations mission in Côte d’Ivoire has begun preparing for the delivery of electoral materials across the country ahead of the long-awaited presidential polls, which were to have been held as far back as 2005, and are now slated for 29 November.

Today the mission, known as UNOCI, supervised and led the removal of voting equipment from the Abidjan seaport to the warehouses of the Independent Electoral Commission.

This first batch of materials – which includes ballot boxes, polling booths and kits – will be distributed in the east and south of the country, with further deliveries for the central region and the capital Yamoussoukro expected on 1 October.

UNOCI was established by the Security Council in 2004 to help ensure a ceasefire and pave the way for permanent peace and democratic elections after civil war split the country into a Government-ruled south and a rebel-controlled north.

Headed by Young-Jin Choi, the mission has been providing technical and logistical support for preparations for the elections, including for voter identification and registration.

The Security Council will be discussing the situation in Côte d’Ivoire tomorrow in a ministerial-level meeting attended by Mr. Choi.