On the margins of the official ceremony of the seventh edition of the sensitization campaign on the culture of peace and non-violence in universities at the Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University in Korhogo (634 kilometres north of Abidjan), the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Aïchatou Mindaoudou, in augurated a new regional training centre for customs officers on Tuesday, 23 June 2015.



The centre, which was built with funds from the Quick Impact Projects programme of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), will contribute to improving customs services in the north of the country by guaranteeing that the State receives the payments it is due and controlling the influx of goods across the country's borders. « The United Nations does not wish to limit its help just to the rehabilitation of this training centre and together we could do more », said Mrs Mindaoudou.



« UNOCI can help Côte d'Ivoire to progress in international indicators by strengthening transparence in its custom's services through its credibility and efficiency of the treatment of goods, » she added.



Referring to the United Nations Secretary-General's Report on Côte d'Ivoire approved by the Security Council, the Special Representative said that the report had highlighted the progress made in custom services. « The Security Council welcomed this which gives reason for optimism », said Mrs Mindaoudou.



The regional customs directorate is composed of ten units comprising 322 agents. Colonel Jacques Dacoury welcomed the construction of the centre which he said would mean that the 1,922 ex-combatants integrated in the customs services, could now receive adequate training.

The second stage of the visit was the ceremony at Péléforo Gon Coulibaly University which was attended by more than 800 students along with the Special Representative and her delegation in a packed amphitheatre. The 800 students mobilized to show their commitment carried placards with peace messages and showed their willingness to work to promote peace and non-violence through short plays, poems, songs and dance.



« I would like to congratulate you for this unique ambiance and your exceptional mobilization which symbolizes the interest that you have in promoting non-violence and civi responsibility », said the Special Representative. She then explained UNOCI's mandate which is to accompany the initiatives of the different sections of Ivorian society in their efforts to promote a culture of peace and social cohesion.



Mrs Mindaoudou congratulated the students on their commitment to working for a peaceful environment, the promotion of the objectives of the Alassane Salif N'diaye Charter. « You are the people who can spearhead the spread of the values of peace, tolerance, dialogue and respect for human rights, as stated in the Charter », said the head of UNOCI.



« Our demands can only be met if there is peace! », declared the president of the University, Professor Adama Coulibaly. He recalled UNOCI's actions to help local students last year, which included the donation of books. « After giving us material goods, you have now given us the most important gift of humanity, peace, » he said.



The ceremony also included the donation of equipment comprising 15 computers as well as trophies.



The Special Representative was accompanied by a representative of the Minister of High Education and Scientific Research, N'Guessan Yao, a representative United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO), Ido Yao, and the deputy rirector of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Aïssata De.

The representative of the Minister of High Education expressed the hope that a monitoring and evaluation mechanism be established to assess actions that have been carried out to promote peace. He thanked the students for turning in huge numbers for the event and for the warm welcome.



The partners who have worked in collaboration with UNOCI during the sensitization campaign, such as the Félix Houphouët Boigny Foundation for Peace, the NGO,Search for Common Ground, the National Social Cohesion Programme, and UNDP were involved in workshops for some 870 students on the theme of peace. At the end of the workshops, the students made a series of recommendations, including the setting up of a monitoring committee on the commitments made by the students during the sensitization campaign; the inclusion of the theme, the culture of peace in university curricula and the organisation of discussion for a between politicians and students on issues of national interest in an effort to avoid students being manipulated by politicians.



The Special Representative's one-day visit in the region of Poro ended in Lakpolo, situated at 5 km from Korhogo, with the launching of two intercommunity projects to drill a well, construct a perimeter wall around the local health centre Lakpolo, and construct a building comprising three classrooms and s school canteen for pupils at the Pulic Primary School. The two projects are expected to cost 49,404.999 FCFA (approximately ) and are part of the intercommunity reinsertion programme of UNOCI's Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) Division which brings together ex-combatants and members of a community.



More than 1,200 people living in Lakpolo, will benefit from the two projects and which will improve the learning conditions of some 400 school children. It should be noted that 45 ex-combatants will work on the two community reinsertion projects.