UNOCI Chief calls for an end to violence in Côte d'Ivoire Connectionivoirenne.net - « The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, on Monday, in Abidjan deplored the violent demonstrations against the dissolution of the Independent Electoral Commission and the government which have resulted to date in at least seven deaths. « We must end this violence », he declared to the press at the end of a meeting with the Facilitator of the inter-Ivorian dialogue, Burkinabé President Blaise Compaoré, who came to help Ivorians find a solution to the current political impasse. The Special Representative reiterated the need to preserve the achievements made in the electoral process. « We are all agreed that the provisional electoral list should be preserved», said the chief of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI). The provisional electoral list already includes 5.3 million people before the processing of appeals at the end of which a definitive electoral list will be produced. In this regard, Mr. Choi expressed the hope that consultations, initiated by the Facilitator with the protagonists of the Ivorian crisis, will end with the formation of a new government and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as soon as possible. [...] »

Press liberty – The CNCA threatens ONUCI-FM
L'Expression - «Another turn of the screw against the international press and freedom of the press by the powers in Abidjan. After France 24, suspended for non- professional treatment of information "concerning" » political actuality, the CNCA this morning, at 11am, summoned representatives for the radio of the United Nations, ONUCI-FM, to explain. It sent a letter accusing the radio of being a threat and an obstacle to the return of peace in Côte d'Ivoire. [...] »

Blaise Compaoré (president of Burkina Faso): "The results are satisfying"
Le Nouveau Réveil - « At the end of meetings he had yesterday with the Ivorian political actors, the head of state of Burkina Faso made a statement to the press
at the presidential palace before returning to his country.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I would like to sincerely thank the Prime Minister and President Laurent Gbagbo for having invited me for a brief visit to Abidjan. To work and to discuss the ways and means of peacefully managing the peace process in Côte d'Ivoire. Of course, as the Prime Minister has already indicated, the results are satisfying whether it's with regard to the acceptance of the concerned parties to participate in government or on the aspect concerning the preparation for elections. And the parties shave also agreed to recompose the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) this week. This would allow us to work very quickly on the quality of the electoral list according to the prescribed modus operandi, but especially to accomplish the other tasks which would allow for the presidential elections to be held very quickly. »

Soro Guillaume (Prime Minister) at the end of consultations: "Tomorrow, I will announce the government"
Le Nouveau Réveil - « The working visit of President Blaise Compaoré yesterday, was sanctioned by two statements, one by the Prime Minister Guillaume Soro and another by the President of Burkina Faso. Below is the Prime Minister's statement:
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, to the President of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire met with his counterpart, the President of Faso. The President of Faso, as you know, initiated a number of discussions with the Ivorian political actors in order to contribute to a peaceful national political climate. These consultations ended with a tête-à-tête between the President of Faso and the Ivorian head of state as well as with talks with other members of the Permanent Consultative Framework (CPC). I am therefore pleased to announce that the talks were successful and the Ivorian political actors have agreed to advance the crisis-resolution process and bring peace back to their country. As Prime Minister, I am also please to inform you ladies gentlemen that tomorrow, I will announce the government of Côte d'Ivoire. And very soon we will hold our council of ministers meeting. »

Bedie after Compaoré's mediation yesterday in Abidjan: «The decision of RHDP + PIT remains"
Le Nouveau Réveil - "Did they reach agreement yesterday since Prime Minister Soro announced the formation of the government and the holding of the first Council of Ministers for this Tuesday? Nothing is more uncertain. Anyway as for the RHDP's leadership, it seems that no agreement has been reached. At the end of the separate meetings which the facilitator held yesterday, on the one hand at Hotel Pullman with Chairmen Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Dramane Ouattara and on the other hand with President Laurent Gbagbo and Prime Minister Soro Guillaume, a statement was made by the prime Minister, in the President's Office in the presence of President Blaise Compaoré and President Gbagbo. In this statement, Prime Minister Soro Guillaume said that the different parties agreed and that he would form his government this Tuesday, 23 February. At the end of their audience with the Facilitator, the RDR's chairman, Dr Alassane Ouattara was formal: "The negotiations are on going". This means in less diplomatic words that no agreement has been reached and no compromise has been found, since according to some sources, Gbagbo does not want to concede anything. For his part, President Henri Konan Bedie, after the transmission of the Prime Minister's declaration on television said clearly: "the decision remains". This means that for the RHDP's leadership, all the demands remain and they have not changed any element. President Bedie should add that Ouattara and he were not informed of the Prime Minister statement in the presence of President Gbagbo and the Facilitator. (...) clearly speaking, the RHDP will not join the government this Tuesday. Its priority is still the IEC and the election date. Angry, President Bedie yesterday called Soro to his home at 11.00 pm, and he immediately went there. So we are waiting for what will follow".

9 deaths within 4 days: the counting of deaths once again in Côte d'Ivoire
Le Nouveau Réveil - "The story starts again in Côte d'Ivoire. A tragedy. After the open graves in Yopougon and its 57 dead bodies, the killings in December 2000 and January 2001, the death squads and the killings in March 2004 (at least 120 members of the opposition killed by the regular and parallel forces, according to the United Nations), Côte d'Ivoire restarts political killings. In this statistics Gagnoa is the first: five deaths last Friday. All of them have been killed by bullets fired by the army, according to the testimonies by demonstrators who denounced the use of real bullets. Yesterday the number of deaths increased. In Abobo (one death) and in Daloa (three deaths); How many deaths will it take to make the authorities take into account the cries of these men and women who are marching in the streets throughout Côte d'Ivoire to denounce the arbitrary decision of 12 February (date of the controversial decision by Laurent Gbagbo)?"

Prefects leave Bouaké
Fraternité Matin - "Is the redeployment of the administration in the district of Bouaké at risk? There are many reasons to believe it. Since the prefect of the Bandama region, prefect of the district of Bouaké, Konin Aka and his collaborators: both Secretaries-General of the prefecture and the three deputy-prefects (Bouaké, Djébounoua and Brobo) left Bouaké on Sunday, to take refuge in Abidjan, after the prefecture, the central sub-prefecture in Bouaké and five vehicles including the Prefect's vehicle were been burnt or ransacked by demonstrators on Saturday. However, Prime Minister Soro Kigbafori Guillaume, when he was informed of these serious events, urgently went to Bouaké to express his condolences to the prefects and ask them to stay there so that they can continue their peace mission."