Highlights

- Security planning team for elections to be set up
- PDSRSG praises BANBATT peacekeepers
- UNOCI and Electoral Commission to train field staff

Military

UNOCI's Force Commander, General Fernand Amoussou yesterday told journalists that a planning team to ensure security on Cote d'Ivoire's borders during forthcoming elections, is going to be set up and hold its first meeting on 19 June 2008 on the Liberia/Cote d'Ivoire border. General Amoussou was speaking at the end of the 15th session of the Inter-Mission Force Commanders' conference held at UNOCI's headquarters in Abidjan. The planning team would comprise, UNOCI, Licorne, UNMIL and the Integrated Command Centre.

The Principal Deputy Special Representative for the Secretary-General for Cote d'Ivoire, Mr. Abou Moussa yesterday visited the Bangladeshi battalion (BANBATT) in Yamoussoukro. Mr. Moussa said that the mission appreciated all the work the peacekeepers were doing in order to bring lasting peace to Cote d'Ivoire.

Electoral

The Regional Electoral Assistance Office in Bouaké, in collaboration with the local branch of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), is planning a training programme for local electoral agents working in the field. The main objective of the training is to ensure that the agents are familiar with the basic electoral instruments needed to conduct a fair and transparent electoral process. The exercise will also provide educational tools in order to help participants acquire a more positive approach to the electoral process.

DDR

Following press allegations that 600 demobilised soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) had "deserted" because they had not received their allowances, Forces Nouvelles authorities yesterday dismissed them. They told UNOCI's DDR that none of the 974 soldiers registered during the third phase of the DDR operation from 2-7 June 2008 had left their camp without permission. According to the FAFN authorities, out of a total of 974 demobilised soldiers, 854 were in the camp yesterday, 66 had permission to leave the camp to take care of personal problems, 24 were providing security in the camp, two were being held as prisoners, four were absent for family reasons, while 24 were sick including one who had to be transferred to a psychiatric clinic. However, the soldiers in the camp indicated to UNOCI that they had not received the second allowance payment of 90,000FCFA (approx $200).

Redeployment of administration

The Mayor of Bouaké, who recently took over the running of the city from the Forces Nouvelles, has told UNOCI's Civil Affairs Office that he was facing problems in starting work. He said that the municipality did not have a place to hold council meetings and that subsidies allocated to them by the government cannot be accessed because no budget proposals have been submitted to this effect. With regard to his staff, he said that about 600 of them were ready to start working, but they were demanding three months salary in advance before taking up their posts. As the town does not have funds to cover these expenses, the day to day administration has been severely hampered.

Arms embargo

Arms embargo inspections were yesterday successfully carried out by UNOCI peacekeepers at first battalion Blindé at Akouédo north in Abidjan, at the Mobile Gendarmerie Squadron in Bondoukou (east) and at the Defence and Security Forces of Core d'Ivoire (FDSCI) camp in Lakota.

Human Rights

The Regional Human Rights in Duékoué on 10 June 2008, conducted a training session on how the practice of female genital mutilation in Côte d'Ivoire violates women's rights in Niambly village, situated six km from Duékoué (west). The number of girls in the village, who forced to undergo the practice, remains high. The session was aimed at tackling the issue of gender-based violence and traditional practices that negatively impact on women.