Abidjan, 27 May 2010... The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) is closely following the appeals process on the grey list, said its Spokesman Hamadoun Touré on Thursday in Abidjan, during the Mission's weekly press conference.

Presenting an update received from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on the operation, Mr. Touré said that the appeals process on the grey list started in several places on 17 May and was due to end on 1 June 2010.
Based on the same information provided by the IEC, the Spokesman added that the launch of the process did not take place simultaneously in all regions, therefore an additional deadline for registration of appeals will be given on a case by case basis. This would be done in order to allow ten days for the treatment of appeals in each region.
« At the end of the initial ten-day deadline, the appeals committees will be given a further five days to process new cases, as well as those that were pending from previous appeals,» he said.
«UNOCI is actively supporting the information and sensitisation campaign to attract an increased participation in the appeals process on the grey list and encourage the national institutions to continue their efforts in this regard,» said the Spokesman.
He recalled the importance of the appeals process, which should lead to the production of a definitive electoral list. "As of now we could start counting down the remaining phases and decide on a credible date for the holding of the elections based on these deadlines,» said Mr. Touré.
In this regard, the Spokesman said that the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, was continuing his consultations in New York on the latest developments in the peace process. He said that Mr. Choi would also be discussing efforts to produce a definitive electoral list. "This will mean that we can have a date for the organization of open, fair, free and transparent elections," he said.

Turning to UNOCI's sensitisation activities to create a peaceful electoral environment, Mr. Touré announced that the Mission would be organising the eighth edition of UNOCI Days on the theme «UNOCI and the population of Brobo hand in hand for a peaceful electoral environment» in Brobo, 20 km east of Bouaké on 2, 3 and 4 June 2010.

For three days the population of Brobo will exchange views with the UN mission, have a better understanding of its mandate and affirm their commitment to creating a peaceful environment before, during and after the elections, the spokesman explained, adding that the event in Brobo will precede those of Alépé and Guiberoua also scheduled for June 2010.

Mr. Touré also said that UNOCI in collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), was conducting a training session on the inclusion of gender in media management in a post crisis and electoral period for some 30 members of regulatory, self-regulatory and media corporations in Adzopé.

The training session which started on 26 May and is due to end on 29 May, is aimed at sensitizing the media on the importance of their role in promoting democracy, equal political participation and gender in the electoral process. It will also consist of encouraging the regulatory and self-regulatory bodies to integrate gender in the tools for the regulation and self-regulation of the media.

He also announced the celebration of the International Day of Peacekeepers whose theme this year, is solidarity with Haitians. Peacekeepers died in a few seconds in the devastating earthquake that occurred in Haiti on 12 January 2010 and UNOCI will pay tribute to everyone – soldiers, policemen and civilians – who serve with dedication in peacekeeping operations deployed throughout the world.

Responding to a question on the holding of the annual meetings of the African Development Bank (ADB) group in Abidjan, Mr. Touré said that the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Abou Moussa, was representing the Mission at the official opening ceremony of the high-level meetings.

"We have very close relations with the ADB", said the spokesman, stressing that that the head of the institution met with UNOCI Chief each time he visited Abidjan to exchange views on the political situation in Côte d'Ivoire, particularly on the issue of security.