With final voters list in place, Ban hopes delayed Ivorian polls will be held soon

Noting the certification of the final list of voters in Côte d'Ivoire, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that he hoped this crucial step will enable the West African nation to move ahead with the holding of its long-delayed presidential elections next month.

Earlier this month, President Laurent Gbagbo, Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, and the heads of two political parties reached agreement on the list, which was established by the Independent Electoral Commission and later certified by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, Y. J. Choi.

“The Secretary-General calls on all Ivorian political actors to build on this consensus in order to maintain a peaceful environment before, during and after the elections, with a view to bringing a peaceful and expeditious conclusion to this process,” his spokesperson said in a statement.

Elections were supposed to have been held as far back as 2005 in the country, which became split by civil war in 2002 into a rebel-held north and Government-controlled south. However, they have been repeatedly postponed, most recently from March, and are now slated to be held on 31 October.

Mr. Ban commended the Ivorian people for their patience and hoped “this crucial step forward” of the certification of the voters list will lead to the holding of open, free, fair and transparent presidential and parliamentary elections.

The UN mission in Côte d’Ivoire, known as UNOCI, has been providing logistical and technical assistance for the preparations for the presidential polls. Established in 2004, it is also tasked with facilitating other aspects of the peace process, including those related to disarmament and the reunification of the country.