Abidjan, 24 September 2009... The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) has agreed to transport electoral equipment stocked in Abidjan port to warehouses in Yamoussoukro and Abidjan, the Mission Spokesman, Hamadoun Touré, announced on Thursday.

Speaking during UNOCI's weekly press conference, Mr. Touré explained that the transportation of the equipment by UNOCI had been requested by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) and was part of UNOCI's logistical support to the IEC with regard to consolidating the progress made in the electoral process.

In this regard, he urged the parties to increase their efforts in order to remove obstacles and reduce the delays in the next stages of the electoral process.

The electoral equipment comprises 76 containers holding ballot boxes, polling booths and kits.

Also as part of its ongoing support to the Ivorian partners, the Spokesman announced that UNOCI's will proved help to the Journalists Union of Côte d'Ivoire (UNJCI) for the organization of a football tournament entitled "Tournament of Brotherhood", by the donating a fair-play trophy and promotional items to teams in the competition.

According to Mr. Touré, UNOCI's support to the Ivorian media also includes organising seminars, trainings programmes and workshops aimed at building their capacity which would in turn contribute to a peaceful environment.

In addition UNOCI is organizing from 29 to 30 September in Divo, a workshop for some 40 journalists from the Sud-Bandama region on the theme "Journalists' contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS" and "The role of Ivorian media in the crisis-resolution process".

He also announced the holding of a discussion and awareness-raising forum in Grand-Lahou, on 29 and 30 September 2009.