Opinion leaders in Beoumi, including community and religious leaders, representatives of youth and women's associations were urged on Thursday, 18 February 2015, to continue their efforts to strengthen national reconciliation, social cohesion and peace.



The plea was made during a sensitization campaign by the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), with the support of Bouaké Legal Aid Clinic, a non-governmental organization called Associazione per il Servizio Volontari Internazionalela (AVSI), and the National Commission against Small Arms, the UN mission's traditional partners.



For UNOCI's Sector East Head of Office, Donatella Guibilaro, who led the UN delegation, the objective of that campaign was to encourage the population to become more involved in the peace process.



"We are here to reaffirm the United Nations support to your efforts to find a lasting peace. However this peace we are talking about will only be effective with your sincere involvement, " she said.



Peace will only be effective with your sincere involvement



Following Ms. Guibilaro address to participants, the Mission's Public Information Office, Human Rights, Political Affairs and Security Sector Reform Divisions, as well as the Civil Affairs Section and UN Police presented their mandates to the people of Beoumi.



Xavier Blais of the Political Affairs Division urged women to participate in the forthcoming local elections and for those who would wish to be candidates to do so. According to him, in the Côte d'Ivoire, the rate of women in the decision-making bodies was still low.



For Pascal Kouame, the head of Beoumi community, UNOCI's initiative to organise the sensitization session was helpful. However, he highlighted the diverse conflicts between farmers and cattle breeders that continued to undermine social cohesion in the region. He pleaded with local authorities to try to find a lasting solution.



In response to these numerous conflicts between farmers and cattle breeders, the NGO AVSI, which has been working on the issue for years, was planning to organize a seminar in April 2016 in an effort to find a lasting solution. That seminar will bring together the parties in conflict to extensively discuss the issue.