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Côte d'Ivoire

Daily brief on Côte d'Ivoire for Monday 02 Apr 2007

  • UNOCI Officer-in-charge meets new Ivorian Prime Minister Guillaume Soro

- PAKBATT and UNPOL organize reconciliation meeting in Bangolo

Political

The Officer in Charge of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire, Mr. Abou Moussa yesterday met with the new Ivorian Prime Minister Mr. Guillaume Soro at his residence in Bouaké. The two men discussed the Ouagadougou Accord and the role the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire would play in terms of the agreement. Mr. Moussa told journalist that UNOCI stood ready to accompany the Ivorian parties in the implementation of the agreement.

Mr. Soro was appointed as Prime Minister on 29 March 2007. He replaced Charles Konan Banny, who took the post on 4 December 2006. A new Government is expected to be formed by next Sunday, after a handover ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, according to reliable sources in Cote d'Ivoire

Security

Following problems between different community groups in Bangolo over the weekend, UNOCI military and UNPOL are organizing a reconciliation meeting to be held tomorrow, 3rd April 2007. The problems started on 30th March 2007, when Guéres living in the town informed Pakistani peacekeepers that they feared an attack from residents from Pona and Tehebly villages after the body of a man from Tehebly was found in Bangolo.

Military observers from Duékoué have been informed that the alleged road bandit apprehended by PAKBATT on 26th March 2007 has been transported to prison in Daloa while awaiting trial. In addition the Milobs also said that they had learnt from unofficial sources that the Gendarmerie in Duékoué are planning an operation to tackle t

Human Rights

In the city of Pehe, 17 kilometers from the city of Duékoué, the Regional Human Rights Office in Guiglo, on 30 March, attended the ceremony to inaugurate peace committees established to facilitate the safe return and integration of internally displaced villagers who fled the areas as a result of violent ethnic clashes erupted between March 2003 and March 2007. UNICEF, OIM, Save the Children UK as well as local authorities also attended the ceremony. The local authorities requested the Regional Human Rights Office to provide special training on human rights to the members of these committees.