Séguéla, 19 August 2009...Without the participation of Ivorian women, the crisis-resolution process will never end, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, declared in Séguéla on Wednesday, on the second leg of his mission to the interior of the country.

Inaugurating a women's cooperative called Worodougouka, the head of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), stressed the importance of women's role in the restoration of lasting peace in the country. It was this conviction which had motivated the extension of the microprojects to benefit women affected by the crisis.

Surrounded by dancing and singing which demonstrated the rich culture of Worodougou, Mr. Choi said that the end of the tunnel was in sight with the organisation of presidential election scheduled for 29 November 2009.

The Worodougouka cooperative consists of 3000 women from 35 villages in the region. Its headquarters was rehabilitated and equipped by the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) at a cost of 19 million FCFA.

The Special Representative visited several of UNOCI's microprojects, including a workshop which sells car parts, a shop selling rice, a welding workshop as well as a project producing locally made soap known as kabakrou. He also visited a sheep and goat rearing project, which is being implemented by the International Organisation of Migration (IOM)

Mr. Choi encouraged all the beneficiaries to pursue their activities and especially to aim to make their respective projects profitable.

The 1000 microprojects, financed at a cost of $4 million is a pilot initiative, launched in August 2008 by the head of UNOCI and funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund as part of the support given to the Ivorian Government for the reintegration of ex-combatants.