Abidjan, le 28 juin 2011... The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y. J. Choi, on Tuesday received the deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, who came to explain the reason for her working visit in the country and discuss the modalities of carrying it out.

Speaking to journalists after her meeting with the Special Representative, Mrs Bensouda said: "I wish to emphasize that this mission is not an investigative mission, it is just an assessment and evaluation mission". She added: "During our discussions with the Special Representative, we requested for logistical assistance which will enable us to easily deploy in the field in safety".

With regard to her discussions with the Ivorian authorities, Mrs Bensouda said that she had signed a cooperation agreement between Côte d'Ivoire and the ICC, which means the country recognizes the jurisdiction of the international court.

The ICC delegation arrived in Abidjan on 27 June 2011 for a week-long assessment mission.