The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Côte d'Ivoire, Aïchatou Mindaoudou, participated, on Thursday, July 9, 2015, in the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) Forces ceremonial transfer of command authority.



The ceremony which ended the twelve months duty of General Hafiz Masroor Ahmed as the Mission's Force Commander marked also the inauguration of General Didier Division L'Hote, the new head of UNOCI forces.



In her address, the Special Representative praised the two generals for their hard work and the spirit of cooperation they have always shown while carrying-out their duties.



Mrs. Mindaouadou thanked the General Hafiz Masroor Ahmed for his leadership and management skills as commander of the UNOCI Force.

"Since his inauguration as Force Commander on 1 July 2014, thanks to his personal involvement, he has contributed to the progress of UNOCI mandate regarding the consolidation of peace and security," Ms. Mindaoudou said. "His personal contribution has also helped strengthen the cooperation between UNOCI and Ivorian institutions in charge of security," she added.



In addition, the Special Representative congratulated General Didier L'hote, who formally took over as the new UNOCI Force Commander, as of Thursday 9 July 2015. She also pointed out that, as UNOCI Deputy Force commander, General L'Hote had shown sheer professionalism while implementing UNOCI mandate.



"I have no doubt that you will ensure the continuity of our activities and maintain close cooperation with Ivorian authorities, as together, we will face many challenges throughout this important period of contribution to the consolidation of peace and Security in Cote d'Ivoire," the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Côte d'Ivoire said.



Mrs. Mindaoudou also underlined the excellent cooperation between UNOCI and the Ivorian Government. She further recalled UNOCI Force's vital role in strengthening peace in Côte d'Ivoire; its role in the protection of civilians and other important actions the Mission has undertaken, such as the training of Ivoirian military officers to enhance professionalism among national armed forces and its operational capacity to conduct missions in some field operations.



"In this regard, UNOCI Force will continue to support national authorities and Ivorian security institutions, especially the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI), to contribute to the establishment of efficient, effective, accountable and republican-minded security forces, "she said.

Outgoing Force Commander, General Hafiz Masroor paid tribute to the UNOCI peacekeepers that lost their lives in Cote d'Ivoire. He also made a brief presentation of UNOCI Force operations, which he said, were successfully conducted last year.



"Indeed, we have changed our posture from static to mobile; we have completed the downsizing plan, the relocation and reconfiguration of the Force, as scheduled and approved by the Operations Division of the Department of Peacekeeping. The force has contributed to the improvement of the security situation in Côte d'Ivoire. Finally, we have trained our troops and performed several exercises to respond in due time and effectively to any security situation, particularly in view of the next presidential election", he said.



"This was made possible thanks to the guidance and ongoing support of the leaders of the various components of UNOCI and in particular, the Special Representative," he said. General Masroor also expressed his appreciation to the prevailing teamwork spirit between the UNOCI Force and other pillars of the Mission; the FRCI and the French forces in Cote d'Ivoire (FFCI).

With 5,500 peacekeepers from fifty different nations, UNOCI Force is headquartered in Abidjan, with two important sectors: Bouaké (east) and Daloa (west). In both sectors, the Mission has positioned six battalions, two detachments of intervention, support units, as well as military observers. The UNOCI Force main task is the protection of civilians and the support of the stabilization process in Cote d'Ivoire.



FRCI Joint Chief of Staff, General Soumaïla Bakayoko; foreign ambassadors accredited to Abidjan; representatives of Ministers, the Commander of the French Forces in Côte d'Ivoire; Senior Officers of the Army, Police and Gendarmerie Officers, as well as UNOCI civilian personnel, took part in the ceremony.