As part of its support in resolving land disputes, the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), on 27 and 28 May 2015, organised a workshop in Kouibly to discuss recommendations made during an intercommunity dialogue session held in Batiébly-Toudrou and Kouibly villages in December 2014.



During the opening ceremony, the representative of the Prefect of Kouibly Department, Georges Konan Kouakou and the third Deputy Mayor, Dorothée Potey, thanked the UN Mission for all its efforts in ensuring that lasting peace returns to Côte d'Ivoire and particularly in their region. Mr. Konan Kouakou invited the the parties in conflict to seize the opportunity provided by UNOCI to woprk for social cohesion and peaceful cohabitation, so that peace can become a reality as the presidential election scheduled in 2015, approaches. He also expressed the hope that at the end of the workshop the conflict between the two villages will become a thing of the past.



Some 40 participants, all of them involved in the land conflict, participated in the workshop whose main objective was to find a solution to the conflcit which started in 2009.



Three papers dealing with different issues linked to conflict were presented to participants at the workshop. In his presentation on « Conflict resolution linked to land delimitation : Lesson learned and recommendations », the Departmental Director of Agriculture and technical engineer in agriculture, Amani Kouassi, the recurrent land conflict in Kouibly, originated customary law having been ceded to a third party, the anarchic buildings done by members of the family, abusive occupation of land – meaning not respecting the land delimitation agreed or the cultural procedures and those who to whom the land has been given, the problem with worthless contracts and the lack of knowledge of land laws and regulations. In conclusion, Mr. Amani Kouassi recommended that everyone should ensure that they have the necessary land documents to protect their plantations.



The Deputy Prefect for his part, dealt with the theme « Social Cohesion and Land Agreements : Lessons Learned and Recommendations ». He recalled that in Côte d'Ivoire the land belongs to the State which gives it to citizens who live locally. « Unfortunately, these lands have become the object of haggling which are often illicit, » he said. He concluded his presentation by suggesting that a rural land management committee is set up in order to avoid and prevent disputes.



The representative of UNOCI's Civil Affairs Section, Franck Dakouri, who talked on the issue of ''Prevention and Peaceful Management of Conflicts : challenges and perspectives in an electoral context '', highlighted the need to allow the parties in conflict to find workable solutions to their differences in order to ensure that these solutions are effective and lasting for the good of the community. His proposal seemed to attract the approval of most of the participants, judging my the response of the chef of Burkinabés in Kouibly, Ali Gbambsoré, who said: « I welcome UNOCI's initiative because it will bring about peace and tranquility and this in turn will provide us with the right conditions to work peacefully in harmony with our neighbours ».



The president of the Council of chiefs of Kouibly and Chief of Trodrou village, Philippe Guei, thanked the head of UNOCI who he said had supported the local authorities in Kouibly with regard to conflict resolution since 2014. « Peace does not have a price. We will make all the concessions possible so that peace can return between the differents communities », he said.



At the end of the workshop the parties made several recommendations including mutual acceptance, to leave the delimitation of land to the relevant authorities, carry out a survey of foreigners occupying land belonging to the indigenous people, verification of land ownership to be carried out by the relevant authorities between now and 15 June 2015.



Speaking on behalf of the Special Representative and head of UNOCI, Mrs Aïchatou Mindaoudou, the UN Mission's regional coordinator and head of its Civil Affairs Office, Ephraim Abwe Diabe, welcome the spirit of understanding, harmony, sharing and perfect symbiosis which prevailed during the meetings. He urged everyone to respect the recommendations they had made and to implement on the ground in order to achieve total social cohesion in the department of Kouibly.