Highlights

- Ivorian Prime Minister commemorates first anniversary of armed attack
- UNOCI and Licorne control Vavoua and Séguéla after violent demonstrations
- UNOCI organizes seminar for Ivorian businesses

Political

Ivorian Prime Minister, Mr. Guillaume Soro, yesterday reassured people in Bouaké of his full commitment to ensuring that elections take place as scheduled on 30 November 2008 with the full participation of all Ivorians in the electoral process. He was speaking at a ceremony to commemorate the first anniversary of the armed attack against an aircraft he was traveling in at Bouaké Airport, which resulted in the death of four members of his entourage. The Prime Minister further explained that in order to achieve the best result, he had made it a priority to resolve issues such as the Mobile Courts, the identification process and in general the set-up of an overall mechanism that should ensure transparency, fairness and full participation of the Ivorian voters through the adoption of a series of rules and regulations. With regard to the violent demonstrations in Vavoua and Séguéla by ex-combatants of the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN), the Prime Minister deplored the action and insisted that the only way out of the Ivorian crisis was through the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and that he would not allow his signature and the word of the Forces Nouvelles to be called into question because of the actions of a few.

FAFN protest

The Impartial Forces, UNOCI and Licorne, are in control and patrolling in Vavoua and Séguéla (centrewest) following violent demonstrations by ex-combatants of the FAFN on Saturday, 28 June 2008. Yesterday, the Impartial Forces held a series of discussions with the two major factions of FAFN who are in dispute, in an effort to negotiate a peaceful conclusion to the protests. Commander Issiaka Ouattara, the Acting Zone Commander of the Séguéla and Vavoua areas was today expected to re-establish communication with the protesters in Vavoua after UNOCI intervened. However, the Cabinet Secretary of FAFN Zone-5 along with the Deputy Commander and Adjudant of the 53rd battalion were today still being held by the protesters who are also from the same battalion in Vavoua. According to reports reaching UNOCI, the soldiers demonstrated because they were dissatisfied over what they termed "unequal treatment" with regard to the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process (DDR). A large number of them are unhappy about the reintegration process, which they said had offered nothing.

Information and sensitization

The Public Information Office today organized a seminar for the business community on "The contribution of the private sector to the peace process". The event which was attended by the Ivorian Minister of Industry and Promotion of the Private Sector was attended by 100 participants from a wide variety of businesses. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Mr. Georg Charpentier, said that the main role of businesses in the crisis resolution process was to sensitize the different social sections on the peace ongoing efforts in Côte d'Ivoire. He also noted that the economic and human resources potential of country had always exceeded the sub-regional average.

Redeployment of administration

UNOCI today continued to provide logistical and security support to the Ivorian Government to ensure the smooth organization of Baccaleauréat exams. This is the second time the exams have been organized all over the country at the same which shows concrete progress in the restoration of the state authority in the areas under Forces Nouvelles control. The Minister of Education visited three examination centres in Bouaké to ascertain that the examinations were going smoothly in the FN zones.

Human Rights

The Human Rights Office in Korhogo, accompanied by Civil Affairs Office, on 26 June 2008 visited Korhogo prison to follow up on reports by NIGERBATT that six prisoners had escaped from the institution. The prison authorities confirmed the incident and said that they were doing everything to apprehend the escapees. They explained that the prison was currently being rehabilitated and as a result a lot of people from outside the establishment were working there. They believed that the prisoner had taken advantage of this situation to escape. Four of the escaped prisoners are FAFN soldiers while the other two are civilians.