Abidjan, 30 July 2008...... The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, took part on Wednesday in Bouaké in the celebration of the first anniversary of the Flame of Peace ceremony, which officially marked the reunification of the country on 30 July 2007.

Mr Choi welcomed the ceremony, which lasted more than two hours and was presided over by Ivorian Head of State Laurent Gbagbo in the presence of his counterpart from Burkina Faso, President Blaise Compaoré, Facilitator of the Ivorian direct dialogue.

For the Head of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire, the occasion was an opportunity to consolidate the progress registered since the launch of the Flame of Peace and to prepare for elections.

The presidents of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI) and the Rally of Republicans (RDR), Henri Konan Bédié and Alassane Dramane Ouattara respectively, participated in the commemoration, as did representatives of all religions in Côte d'Ivoire, who prayed for peace and reconciliation in the country.