Daily Brief on Côte d’Ivoire for Friday, 1 August 2008

1 aoû 2008

Daily Brief on Côte d’Ivoire for Friday, 1 August 2008



Highlights

- SRSG opens third session of UN West Africa Administrative conference
- European Union delegation on observation of elections meets SRSG
- Forces Nouvelles say DDR sites in Odienné not ready
- IDPs centre in Guiglo closes down

Conference

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, today praised the invaluable work done by the chiefs of administration in UN Missions in West Africa. Speaking at the third session of the UN West Africa Administrative Conference, which opened in UNOCI's headquarters in Abidjan today, Mr. Choi said that the work done by the administrative sections was just as important as that done by substantive sections and for this reason he had decided to work directly with the Chief of Mission support when he joined UNOCI in November 2007. Mr. Choi also gave a short presentation on the status of the Ivorian peace process and the Mission's role in Côte d'Ivoire. Participants were from the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSL), the United Nations Office in West Africa (UNOWA), the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and UNOCI

Electoral process

The head of UNOCI yesterday met with a delegation from the European Union which is on a two-week mission in the country to prepare for the observation of upcoming elections. The Electoral Assistance Division made a presentation on the mechanisms and challenges related to the election observation process.

DDR

Forces Nouvelles authorities in Odienné (north) yesterday told the DDR Section that most of the sites for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of its ex-combatants were not ready. They also asked the Section to suggest reintegration projects for the ex-combatants because most of them had opted to go into agricultural projects but as the planting season, which is between May and June is already over, they would have to consider other options.

IDPs

The return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their places of origin, which intensified this past month, has resulted in the closure of a centre for IDPs in the western town of Guiglo. The Centre, which had received almost 8000 IDPs since 2003, was officially closed yesterday. The decision was jointly made by the humanitarian agencies working in Cote d'Ivoire and the relevant Ivorian authorities, at a workshop on reconciliation in Bloléquin on 22 May 2008. The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator and Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Mr. Georg Charpentier said that the closure was a concrete sign that lasting peace is returning to the country.

Security

A suspected armed robber was injured in the western town of Guiglo yesterday when a local police officer whose house he had broken into shot him. The 27 year old man was allegedly part of an armed gang and is being held in custody by the police, who have launched an investigation.

Residents in Nounoubaye in the Guiglo (west) area were rescued by a BENINBATT patrol on 30 July 2008, following two armed robberies in the village. The attackers escaped before the arrival of the peacekeepers. The BENINBATT troops then formed a joint patrol with local gendarmes to secure the village during an investigation.

UNPOL and humanitarian agencies reported yesterday that villagers in Guehiebly in western Cote d'Ivoire are setting up a self-defence group, following three successive attacks by armed bandits in their village on 25, 26 and 27 July 2008. However the Sous – Prefet has vowed to do all in his power to prevent such a move.

Human Rights

A presentation on the impact of small arms and light weapons on human rights during the Ivorian conflict was made by the Regional Human Rights Office in Yamoussoukro on 30 July 2008. The presentation was part of a training session organized by the West Africa Network on Small Arms (WANSA), attended by 25 representatives from five local NGOs in Yamoussoukro. The event heard testimonies from the relatives of six women killed by small arms between December 2007 and July 2008.

The Human Rights Office in Abidjan, along with the Electoral Assistance Division and Public Information Office, and in close collaboration with the local NGO Union des Jeunes Démocrates, on 31 July 2008, organized a sensitization campaign on human rights and elections in the Port Bouët district of Abidjan. The training focused on the human rights aspects of elections as well as the need for fair, peaceful and transparent elections as part of building a sustainable peace in Côte d'Ivoire. The event was attended by 200 people, including representatives of local authorities and political parties, as well as traditional, religious and youth leaders.