The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire and Chief of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Mrs Aïchatou Mindaoudou, on Wednesday, 16 September 2015, went to Gagnoa, situated at 271 kilometres from Abidjan in the region of Gôh, in the centrewest of the country.



She went there to take part in a meeting organized by the administrative authorities, communities and dignitaries from the department with local people as part of various efforts to re-establish peace in the aftermath of the intercommunity violence which broke out on Thursday, 10 September in certain localities in Gagnoa department and which led to the loss of life and the destruction of property in the district of Logouata.



Before the end of discussions which involved some 1000 people, the Prefect of the Region and Prefect of Gagnoa, Nzi Remi Kanga, asked the Special Representative to deliver a message to the gathering. In her speech, the Chief of UNOCI started by saying that she had come first and foremost « to present UNOCI's condolences and show her compassion to the wounded and sympathise with those who had lost their property ». She welcomed the responsible way that people in general had behaved by taking part in the meeting which had provided them with an opportunity to express themselves. Mrs Mindaoudou stressed « the values of peace which should be paramount above all else ».





She also took the opportunity to clarify her good offices mandate which was given to her by the United Nations Security Council and which involves trying to bring different points of view closer together. « The international community is not here to resolve issues which should be resolved by you but is here to facilitate the resolution of those issues. I will continue to talk to all the actors involved », said Mrs Mindaoudou, adding that the different parties should also call on their militants to support them in this regard. « Division weakens and the same results to a problem can be obtained without resorting to force, » said the Special Representative.





Returning to the violent incidents which occurred on 10 September and their consequences, Mrs Mindaoudou insisted on the importance of respecting the law. In this regard, UNOCI's Chief asked that an inquiry into the incidents be opened so that those responsible for the violence can be brought to justice. « Nobody has the right to take the law into their own hands and the best way to fight in a democracy is through the ballot box, » stressed the Special Representative.

The Head of UNOCI concluded by insisting she still has the hope that Côte d'Ivoire will once again become Côte d'Ivoire and will serve as an example to the sub-region and Africa.