The Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) division of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) on 17 and 18 June 2014 organised a workshop for some 25 community radio announcers and correspondents of the Ivorian News Agency based in San Pedro on the role of UNOCI- DDR and the national Authority for DDR (ADDR) in the reinforcement of security, peace and social cohesion.

UNOCI Public Information official, Ladji Sidibe said the seminar was aimed at facilitating discussions between UNOCI-DDR and the media for a better understanding of the DDR process and the reintegration of ex-combatants by the ADDR. Other issues examined included "media and the management of rumour", "the prevention, management, and settlement of conflict: principles and dynamics".





Participants arrived at a number of recommendations including an appeal to administrative authorities to promote and facilitate collaboration between the media and civil society in the Bas Sassandra district; an appeal to ADDR to put at the disposal of the media ex-combatants who are models of reintegration and can be used to be able to dispel the poor perception of ex-combatants by members of the public; and an appeal for ADDR to involve the media in its activities.

The workshop also appealed to UNOCI to continue its capacity-building programme for media practitioners in view of a good professional coverage of the 2015 elections and to financially and technically support community radios in the sensitization of populations hosting ex-combatants in the DDR process.



Participants made a commitment to strengthen social cohesion by exercising greater professionalism in the treatment of information and not to serve as a channel for rumours.

In his closing remarks, the Coordinator of the UN System in San Pedro, Ganda Abdourahmane urged the media to support the improvement of the security environment. "Do everything you can to ensure that Ivorian brothers on the other side of the border feel confident enough to return unarmed so that they can be professionally and socially reintegrated," he pleaded.



The seminar rounded up with a visit to reintegrated ex-combatants.