Abidjan, 29 September 2014... The Special Representative of UN Secretary-General in Cote d'Ivoire, Mrs. Aichatou Mindaoudou led a UN delegation headed by the Deputy Director of Electoral Assistance at the UN HQ, Mr. Tadjoudine Ali-Diabacte for discussions on Monday 29 September 2014 with Ivorian Prime Minister Kablan Duncan.



Mr. Ali-Diabacte said his delegation had discussed the organization of election in Cote d'Ivoire in 2015 and recalled that the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) had a mandate to assist the Ivorian government in some aspects of the electoral process. He announced that the Ivorian government had made a formal request to the UN Secretary-general for electoral assistance.

"When the UN receives such a request, it is normal practice to discuss with the national party the exact nature of its real needs regarding the election," he explained.



The UN official pointed out that the visit of his delegation which began on 22 September and ends on 2 October has enabled him to meet the various stakeholders involved in the electoral process, notably the government, the Independent Electoral Commission, political parties of both the opposition and the majority, civil society organisations, women and youth associations as well as technical and financial partners of Cote d'Ivoire.



"At the end of our mission, we would make recommendations to the Secretary-General on the framework in which Cote d'Ivoire and the UN would collaborate in the organization of the election which we hope, as usual, would be transparent and peaceful," Mr. Ali-Diabacte concluded.