In an effort to help people in Bondo manage intercommunity conflicts, the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) recently visited the village in the Zanzan Region, 400 km away from Abidjan to sensitise them on promoting peace and strengthening social cohesion in preparation for forthcoming presidential election.



Representatives from UNOCI's Civil Affairs Division, Leon Krizoua and Timothy Mucholo highlighted the importance of peaceful coexistence and peaceful conflict resolution. "We must maintain the progress made in the peace process by strengthening social cohesion and reconciliation," they said.



They also emphasized the need for the inhabitants of the village, to live together in harmony and to respect cultural, religious, ethnic and political diversity. With regard to resolving conflicts, Leon Krizoua and Timothy Mucholo asked the people in Bondo to always seek peaceful solutions with the help of traditional and administrative authorities.



Following a proposal from UNOCI's Civil Affairs Division, and in agreement with local authorities, an inter-community dialogue session will be organized in Bondo the near future. The objective of this dialogue is to identify the causes of the deep divergence between village communities and to try to find a lasting solution to the conflicts.



The Sub-Prefect of Bondo, Carine Kouadio Djely, expressed appreciation for UNOCI's approach in reaching out to people and supporting local authorities in their efforts to resolve inter-community conflicts and promote the culture of peace.



Explaining the UN Mission's mandate, the head of the UN delegation, Prosper Rigue, urged the population to preserve peace among themselves in order to create favourable conditions for forthcoming elections.



More than 300 people attended the meeting, including some of UNOCI's partners such as the Legal Clinic and the Federation of Associations and Groups of Women of Gontougo (FAGEFEG) which, on this occasion, launched strong messages to promote peace and social cohesion.