UN Representative
meets Prime Minister yesterday—Y.J. Choi: "This is what delayed the distribution
of cards"

Le Mandat -The
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Y.J. Choi was at the Office
of the Prime Minister yesterday Wednesday 6 October. At the end of the meeting
with Guillaume Soro, the head of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire said he had
come to reassure the Head of Government of the support of his organization in
the preparatory phase of the 31 October presidential election."Our next
objective is the 31 October. We have identified the challenges ahead. First, we
must distribute the national and electoral cards. UNOCI has undertaken to assist
the National Identity Office and the Independent Electoral Commission to
distribute both cards. Everyone should be in possession of their cards within
two weeks. Disribution began this evening in certain districts of Abidjan
division and would extend to Bouake tomorrow. These are the two most important
centres and UNOCI is mobilizing its vehicles, aircraft and staff." Explaining
the delay in the distribution of the cards, Mr. Choi said this was caused by the
sorting and packaging operation. The second challenge, according to the senior
UN official,is the construction of a number of polling offices. 'We have three
weeks to prepare 3600 shelters in  open air. We will provide finances to
villages and districts to construct temporary shelters." In order to meet up
with the deadline, the third challenge which is the transportation of ballot
boxes and polling booths would be done on Friday. Finally, we need to recruit
and train 60,000 polling agents.

IEC a propos the
distribution of national identity cards--: "UNOCI has defaulted"

Nord-Sud

 UNOCI (UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire) has let us down. If not, since this
morning (yesterday) we were ready and distribution was to have begun but UNOCI
said it wanted to start today," disclosed Bamba Yacouba, spokesperson of the
[Independent electoral Commission] IEC. That was how he explained the delay in
the distribution of national identity cards on Wednesday.(....) UNOCI on its part
has refuted the accusation. "I'd be surprised to hear we are not ready because
our aircraft and lorries have always been available. UNOCI has been ready since
a long time ago. I would not want to go into this argument. The essential thing
is to distribute..." countered UNOCI spokesperson Hamadoun Toure. (...)

Voting / national
identity and voters' cards—distribution began yesterday afternoon

L'Intelligent
d'Abidjan
 The Independent Electoral commission yesterday 6 October held a
press conference at its headquarters to announce details of regarding the
distribution of national identity and voters' cards. After several
postponements, the distribution officially took off yesterday afternoon, October
6 2010in nine districts of Abidjan including Marcory, Treichville, Koumadssi,
Plateau, Attecoube , Anyama , Songon and Bingerville. This would be followed
today by Cocody, Yopougon, Abobo and Adjame. This was disclosed by the
spokesperson of the IEC, Bamba Yacouba, who said distribution in the interior of
the country would follow suit. The voters' list is now available on the internet
and can be consulted at: www.ceici.org  

Electoral
security—these are the ten localities to host the 8,000 troops of the Integrated
Command Centre (ICC)

L'Inter -
Yamousoukro, Abidjan, Bouale, Daloa, Odienne, Bouna and Abengourou are the ten
areas where the 10 joint security companies of the ICC would be deployed. This
was announced yesterday by the Defense and Security Forces and security
auxiliaries within the context of electoral security arrangements. Initiated by
the UN Development fund (UNDP), in collaboration with the  European Union, the
UN Police and the ICC, training programs were organised for the 8,000 troops o
the techniques of electoral security.(...)

Electoral
criss-crossing in the North by Gbagbo and Ouattara on the offensive in Korhogo.

Notre Voie -
pre campaigning for the presidential election took an absurd but exciting turn
yesterday in Korhogo , capital of  the Savanne region where the campaign
caravans of opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara , leader of the Rally of
Republicans party (RDR) and incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo converged for
separate political rallies . DR. Ouattara and his campaign team were welcomed by
a long convoy of cars, motorcycles and bicycles and his campaign is scheduled to
end on Saturday with a mass rally at the Korhogo Municipal stadium where
President Gbagbo is expected to hold a rally today.