The UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) on Friday, 7 June 2013, organised a workshop to sensitise the people of Kouibly, 642 km north-west of Abidjan, on the contribution of civil society in strengthening social cohesion and promoting the national reconciliation process.



Some 40 people from the different communities in the area took part in the workshop which was presided over by the Secretary-general of the Prefecture, Roland Akpa. Mr. Akpa paid tribute to UNOCI for initiating the workshop and urged participants to regard one another as brothers in order to develop the country.



Welcoming the participants, one of the deputy mayors, Gilbert Pohouo stressed that "without social cohesion and national reconciliation, there is no peace". Peace, he said, was essential for economic recovery and development.



At the end of the exercise, participants adopted resolutions to strengthen their commitment to national reconciliation.