UN mission takes note of new date for Ivorian presidential polls

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire today took note of the announcement of a new date for the country’s presidential election, and urged that a credible timetable be set up for the repeatedly-delayed polls.

The Government today confirmed that the elections will be held on 31 October, following up on a proposal by the country’s Independent Electoral Commission.

Elections in the West African nation, which became split by civil war in 2002 into a rebel-held north and Government-controlled south, were supposed to have been held as far back as 2005, but have been repeatedly postponed, most recently from March.

The UN mission, known as UNOCI, is urging stakeholders to set up a credible timetable to deal with planning and other challenges before election day, adding that the next step will be the publication of the final voter list.

For UNOCI “the crucial phase is the production of a definitive electoral list, which comes before the production of identity and voters cards, as well as their distribution throughout the country,” spokesperson Hamadoun Touré told a news conference in Abidjan.

The Security Council established UNOCI in 2004 to facilitate the peace process in Côte d'Ivoire, including those related to elections, disarmament and all aspects of the reunification of the country.

The mission has been providing logistical and technical assistance for the preparations for the presidential elections.