Highlights

- Ivorian PM goes to Bouake to commemorate first anniversary of attack against his plane
- FAFN Chief of Staff updates ex-combatants on DDR process
- UNOCI-Guinea border conference discusses security issues

Political

Ivorian Prime Minister, Mr. Guillaume Soro, was expected in Bouaké today to participate in ceremonies commemorating the first anniversary of an attack on his plane at Bouaké Airport, which resulted in the deaths of four members of his entourage. The Prime Minister, who escaped injured, will participate in religious ceremonies in memory of those who lost their lives. He will also meet with the authorities handling the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) process in Bouaké. It is his first visit to the city since ex-combatants to the Armed Forces of the forces Nouvelles staged three days of violent protests over the non payment of their 90,000 FCFA allowances last week.

DDR

A general meeting to update FAFN ex-combatants on the various steps and procedures involved in the demobilization process was this morning chaired by the Chief of Staff, General Soumaila Bakayoko, at the 3rd Battalion Camp in Bouaké. Participants included representatives from UNOCI's DDR units, the Zone Commander of Bouaké, Chérif Ousmane and officials from the other institutions involved in the process. The meeting comes after the conclusion of the 4th and 5th phases of DDR process yesterday during which 1,881 soldiers, including 162 women, were demobilized.

Security

A border coordination conference was yesterday held in Sirana (north) between UNOCI military and Guinean authorities. Sector West Commander, Brigadier-General Mustafa Kamal Khan represented the Force Commander at the meeting during which border security issues in connection with forthcoming elections in Cote d'Ivoire, were discussed.

Arms embargo

Arms embargo inspections were yesterday successfully carried out by UNOCI peacekeepers at the Defence and Security Forces of Cote d'Ivoire's Second Regional HQ in Daloa (west), at its Gendarmerie Brigades in Hiré (southwest) and Abengourou (east) as well as at the FAFN's Unit in Ferkessedougou (north).

Human Rights

The Chief of the Human Rights Division Mr. Simon Munzu said yesterday that despite an improvement in the general human rights situation in Côte d'Ivoire, there were still some concerns. Mr. Munzu was speaking after a week-long visit to Duekoué, Guiglo, Diourouzon, Bangolo, Man, Touba, Odienné, Tomba and Tiemé in the Moyen Cavally, 18 Montagnes, Bafing and Denguelé regions in western and northern areas of the country. Mr Munzu said that after holding discussions with representatives of the administrative authorities, the military, the humanitarian actors, members of civil society, community leaders (religious and traditional), the local population as well as UNOCI and UN agencies personnel in the areas visited, it emerged that there were still grave human rights violations in all the regions he visited. These included summary executions, female genital mutilation, rapes, violent land disputes and forced marriages involving teenage girls.