Youths of Gueguingbeu village near Daloa on 17 September 2014 organised a football match aimed at promoting social cohesion and national reconciliation.



The representative of the Civil Affairs section of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Annita Traore who attended the occasion said she had come to encourage the initiative to rally the youths of the division to promote social cohesion and reconciliation.

The leader of the youth association in the village, Blaise Korai said the tournament had been organized to encourage the youths of the different communities in Zoukougbeu division to put an end to their numerous quarrels originating from the post-election crisis for the benefit of peace and unity. « Only stability can enable us fit into the social fabric. That, henceforth, is our priority, » he said.



Various components of UNOCI including Public Information; Human Rights; Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) and UN Police took turns to present their respective mandates and activities.





Peggie Rosette Ayekawo of DDR called on youths still in illegal possession of weapons of war to surrender them. « UNOCI and the national authority for DDR (ADDR) have programmes for the reintegration of ex-combatants. To be a beneficiary, the sole condition is to give up your arms. Be assured that the programme is discrete and those who surrender weapons shall not be prosecuted, » she said.

At the end of the occasion several participants expressed their reactions with some saying they were learning for the first time that the UN Mission was not only made up of soldiers but also civilians. They said they were happy that UNOCI had come to remind the youths that it is only in unity that the development of their division can be achieved.