Abidjan, 8 July 2010... A Local Transition Fund aimed at consolidating achievements in humanitarian activities and financing community rehabilitation was launched on Wednesday, 7 July 2010, in Côte d'Ivoire, the deputy spokesman of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire, (UNOCI), Kenneth Blackman, announced on Thursday, at the Mission's weekly press conference.

The Fund, Mr. Blackman added, was launched at UNOCI's headquarters during a meeting, which was jointly presided over by the Office of the Prime Minister and the UN Resident Humanitarian Co-ordinator, Mr. Steven Ursino, who is also Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire. "It is aimed at helping people who have been made destitute and disadvantaged by the crisis," he explained.

The deputy spokesman said that an initial group of ten projects in various areas, including the rehabilitation of water pumps, community nutrition, cultivation and commercialization of rice and support to the production of fruits and vegetables, costing around $1 million, have been approved and will be financed by the Swiss Government. A lot of other projects need funding and the United Nations encourages donors to contribute to this Fund, Mr. Blackman added.

Turning to military issues, the deputy spokesman said that a meeting between UNOCI and the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), had been held in Loguato, 30 km from Danané, on 2 July 2010. At the meeting, UNOCI and UNMIL sector commanders had reviewed the security situation, the movement of persons and goods along the border between Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire and the refugee situation. Such encounters are organised regularly as part of the collaboration between the two missions.

With regard to the Mission's other activities, Mr. Blackman announced that an HIV/AIDS sensitisation session for 24 youths, hosted by UNOCI, was taking place in Daloa, as part of a training on conflict prevention and management, organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). "These youths are mediators of peace appointed by UNOCI in university residences in Daloa in March this year, during a sensitisation campaign carried out by the Mission to explain to students how they could promote the culture of peace and contribute to creating a peaceful electoral environment," he explained.

They also received training on respect for human rights, which was organised by UNOCI's Human Rights Division in April 2010.
In San Pedro, on Wednesday, 7 July 2010, UNOCI began a human rights training programme for 56 participants from civil society organisations, including 20 women. The aim of the programme, comprising 12 weekly workshops, is to train participants on basic human rights, and mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights.