- UNOCI Acting SRSG leaves for Ouagadougou today
- Military Observers carry out arms embargo inspection in Madiani
- UNOCI patrol visits a goldmine in Ity
Political
UNOCI's Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cote d'Ivoire, Abou Moussa, left Abidjan today for Ouagadougou to deliver a message from the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon to Burkinabé President Blaise Compaoré.
Before Mr. Moussa left Abidjan, he met with Ivorian political leaders to brief them on his recent mission to New York. On Wednesday, 21st March 2007, he met with a delegation from the Houphouetists Rally for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) led by Alphonse Djedje Mady, president of the party's board of directors and another from the Ivorian Popular Front, led by the party's president, Affi Nguessan.
Arms embargo
Military observers from Teamsite Odienne conducted an Arms Embargo Inspection in Madiani on 20th March 2007. The patrol was escorted by BANBATT and cordially received by the FDS-FN Sector Commander Kone Seidou.
Security
After the recent violent clashes between pupils from Lycee Modern Dondela Foundation Khalil Ahmad and young people from Gbokora in Daloa, the school has been closed until further notice. Other schools in the town functioned normally.
After several recent attempts, a UNOCI patrol from Duékoué was yesterday able to reach a goldmine in Ity after bypassing a number of FANCI checkpoints. The patrol confirmed that a mining company named SMI was employing 250 people. The patrol met with one of the managers who informed them that the goldmine is Ivorian-French owned. Security is provided by FANCI soldiers.
Sensitization on sexual violence
UNOCI and UNFPA today participated in a sensitization workshop on physical, sexual and psychological violence against women as well as the sanctions that perpetrators of these crimes should face. The workshop was organized by the Ivorian Women Lawyers organisation in collaboration with the Ministry of War Victims. UNFPA provided financial support while UNOCI gave technical assistance for the workshop, which was attended by some 120 people.
Representatives from eight organizations including UNAIDS, UNHCR, UNFPA, Caritas and the Ivorian Ministry of Education are in Bouaké for a week-long, indepth evaluation of HIV/AIDS in and around the city. The mission to Bouaké will end on 28th March 200 Human Rights
On 21 March, UNOCI units, including the Human Rights Division, participated in the Schools Caravan organized by the UNOCI's Public information Office for students of the Collège Secondaire Méthodiste du Plateau in Abidjan. The caravan was launched since 14 February in Abidjan in order to present the different activities of the UNOCI. The regional Human Rights Office in Abidjan presented the UNOCI human rights mandate to the students.