ELECTORAL CALENDAR AT CENTRE OF DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN UNOCI CHIEF AND FACILITATOR OF INTER-IVOIRIAN DIALOGUE

Abidjan, 10 February 2009... The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, and the Burkinabè head of state, Blaise Compaoré, on Tuesday in Ouagadougou highlighted the need to establish an electoral calendar in order to ensure that elections are organised in 2009.

Speaking after the meeting, the Chief of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire, who met the Facilitator of the Inter-Ivorian Dialogue as part of his regular contacts with regard to the re-establishment of peace in the country, told journalists that he and President Compaoré had also discussed the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and the end-of-crisis process.

After an assessment of the implementation of the 4th supplementary accord of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and the ongoing identification and voter registration operation, the two men welcomed the advances made in this regard, with more that four and a half million people already identified since the launch of the operation in September 2008. "The target is between six and seven million people", said the Special Representative, adding that this figure could be attained in a few weeks.

Mr. Choi also briefed President Compaoré on recent UN Security Council meetings on Côte d'Ivoire which led to the adoption of Resolution 1865 on 27 January 2009 and the decision to reduce the number of UNOCI troops by one battalion in March after recognising that peace and stability had returned to Côte d'Ivoire.