Security Council

5617^th Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UNITED NATIONS OPERATION, SUPPORTING FRENCH FORCES

IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE UNTIL 30 JUNE, UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1739 (2007)

Seriously concerned about the persistent crisis and deteriorating situation in Côte d’Ivoire, including the large-scale civilian suffering and displacement, the Security Council today extended until 30 June the mandates of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French forces which support it, and expressed its intention to review their mandates by that date, including their length and troop levels, in light of progress achieved towards peace.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1739 (2007) under Chapter VII, the Council, having taken note of the latest report of the Secretary-General on the situation, in which he said that some of the Ivorian parties were pursuing actions that could lead to widespread violence, decided to adjust certain terms of UNOCI’s mandate from the date of adoption of today’s text.  (For background, see Press Release SC/8903 of 15 December 2006.)

Under the terms of the resolution, UNOCI would monitor the cessation of hostilities and movements of armed groups.  In particular, it would observe and monitor the implementation of the joint declaration of the end of the war of 6 April 2005 and the comprehensive ceasefire agreement of 3 May 2003, to prevent, within its capabilities and areas of deployment, any hostile action and investigate violations of the ceasefire.

Among its other tasks, UNOCI would liaise with the National Armed Forces of Côte d’Ivoire and the Forces Nouvelles, in order to promote the re-establishment of trust among all the Ivorian forces, and assist the Government in monitoring the borders, with particular attention to the situation of Liberian refugees and any cross-border movement of combatants.  It would also assist the Government in regrouping all the Ivorian forces involved and assist in ensuring the security of their disarmament, cantonment and demobilization sites.

UNOCI would also coordinate closely with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in the implementation of a voluntary repatriation and resettlement programme for foreign ex-combatants, paying special attention to the specific needs of women and children.  It would secure, neutralize or destroy any weapons, ammunition or any other military materiel surrendered by the former combatants.

Its tasks would also involve, among other things, security sector reform; protection of United Nations personnel and institutions; provision of security for members of the Ivorian Government; monitoring of the arms embargo; support for humanitarian assistance; support for the redeployment of State administration; support for the organization of open, free, fair and transparent elections; assistance in the field of human rights; public information; and law and order.

The meeting began at 12:56 p.m. and adjourned at 1 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1739 (2007) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its previous resolutions and the statements of its President relating to the situation in Côte d’Ivoire, in particular its resolution 1721 (2006) on the transition period leading to the holding of free, open, fair and transparent elections in Côte d’Ivoire by 31 October 2007,

“Recalling also its resolution 1712 (2006) relating to the situation in Liberia,

“Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Côte d’Ivoire, and recalling the importance of the principles of good-neighbourliness, non-interference and regional cooperation,

“Having taken note of the report of the Secretary-General dated 4 December 2006 (S/2006/939),

“Reaffirming its support to the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French forces which support it,

“Expressing its serious concern at the persistence of the crisis and the deterioration of the situation in Côte d’Ivoire, including its grave humanitarian consequences causing large-scale civilian suffering and displacement,

“Determining that the situation in Côte d’Ivoire continues to pose a threat to international peace and security in the region,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“1.   Decides that the mandates of UNOCI and of the French forces which support it, determined respectively in paragraphs 2 and 8 below, shall be extended until 30 June 2007, and expresses its intention to review by this date their mandates, including their length, and UNOCI’s level of troops, in the light of the progress achieved in the implementation of the peace process as referred to in resolution 1721 (2006);

“2.   Decides that UNOCI shall have the following mandate from the date of adoption of this resolution:

a) Monitoring of the cessation of hostilities and movements of armed groups

- To observe and monitor the implementation of the joint declaration of the end of the war of 6 April 2005 and of the comprehensive ceasefire agreement of 3 May 2003, to prevent, within its capabilities and its areas of deployment, any hostile action, and to investigate violations of the ceasefire,

- To liaise with the National Armed Forces of Côte d’Ivoire (FANCI) and the military elements of the Forces Nouvelles in order to promote, in coordination with the French forces, the re-establishment of trust among all the Ivorian forces involved,

- To assist the Government of Côte d’Ivoire in monitoring the borders, with particular attention to the situation of Liberian refugees and to any cross-border movement of combatants,

b) Disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, repatriation and resettlement

- To assist the Government of Côte d’Ivoire in undertaking the regrouping of all the Ivorian forces involved and to assist in ensuring the security of their disarmament, cantonment and demobilization sites,

- To support the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, within UNOCI’s current capacities, in the implementation of the national programme for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of combatants, including through logistical support, in particular for the preparation of cantonment sites, paying special attention to the specific needs of women and children,

- To coordinate closely with the United Nations mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in the implementation of a voluntary repatriation and resettlement programme for foreign ex-combatants, paying special attention to the specific needs of women and children, in support of the efforts of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and in cooperation with the Governments concerned, relevant international financial institutions, international development organizations and donor nations,

- To ensure that the national programme for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of combatants and that the voluntary repatriation and resettlement programme for foreign ex-combatants take into account the need for a coordinated regional approach,

- To secure, neutralize or destroy any weapons, ammunition or any other military materiel surrendered by the former combatants,

c) Disarmament and dismantling of militias

- To assist the Prime Minister in formulating and implementing the programme for the immediate disarmament and dismantling of militias consistent with paragraph 12 of resolution 1721 (2006), and to monitor its implementation,

- To secure, neutralize or destroy all weapons, ammunition and other military materiel surrendered by militias,

d) Operations of identification of the population and registration of voters

- To contribute, in close liaison with the working group mentioned in paragraph 17 of resolution 1721 (2006), to the security of the operations of identification of the population and registration of voters, within its capabilities and its areas of deployment,

e) Reform of the security sector

- To assist, in close liaison with the working group mentioned in paragraph 15 of resolution 1721 (2006), in formulating a plan on the restructuring of the Defence and Security Forces and in preparing possible seminars on security sector reform to be organized by the African Union and ECOWAS,

f) Protection of United Nations personnel, institutions and civilians

- To protect United Nations personnel, installations and equipment, ensure the security and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel and, without prejudice to the responsibility of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, within its capabilities and its areas of deployment,

- To support, in coordination with the Prime Minister, the provision of security for members of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire,

g) Monitoring of the arms embargo

- To monitor the implementation of the measures imposed by paragraph 7 of resolution 1572 (2004), in cooperation with the Group of Experts established under resolution 1584 (2005) and, as appropriate, with UNMIL and Governments concerned, including by inspecting, as they deem it necessary and without notice, the cargo of aircraft and of any transport vehicle using the ports, airports, airfields, military bases and border crossings of Côte d’Ivoire,

- To collect, as appropriate, arms and any related materiel brought into Côte d’Ivoire in violation of the measures imposed by paragraph 7 of resolution 1572 (2004), and to dispose of such arms and related materiel as appropriate,

h) Support for humanitarian assistance

- To facilitate the free flow of people, goods and humanitarian assistance, inter alia, by helping to establish the necessary security conditions and taking into account the special needs of vulnerable groups, especially women, children and elderly people,

i) Support for the redeployment of State administration

- To facilitate, with the assistance of the African Union, ECOWAS and other international partners, the re-establishment by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire of the authority of the State throughout Côte d’Ivoire and of the institutions and public services essential for the social and economic recovery of the country,

j) Support for the organization of open, free, fair and transparent elections

- To provide all necessary technical assistance to the Prime Minister, his Government, the Independent Electoral Commission and other relevant agencies or institutes, with the support of the African Union, ECOWAS and other international partners, for the organization of open, free, fair and transparent elections, presidential and legislative, by 31 October 2007 at the latest, as referred to in resolution 1721 (2006),

- To provide technical information, advice and assistance as appropriate to the High Representative for the Elections,

- To contribute, within its capabilities and its areas of deployment, to the security of the areas where voting is to take place,

- To provide as necessary, within its capabilities and its areas of deployment, in close cooperation with the United Nations Programme for Development, logistical support for the Independent Electoral Commission, in particular for the transportation of electoral material,

k) Assistance in the field of human rights

- To contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire, with special attention to violence committed against children and women, to monitor and help investigate human rights violations with a view to ending impunity, and to keep the Security Council Committee established pursuant to paragraph 14 of resolution 1572 (2004) (the Committee) regularly informed of developments in this regard,

l) Public information

- To promote the peace process as referred to in resolution 1721 (2006) throughout the territory of Côte d’Ivoire, through the Mission’s public information capacity, in particular its radio broadcasting capability through ONUCI FM,

- To monitor the Ivorian mass media, in particular with regard to any incidents of incitement by the media to hatred, intolerance and violence, and to keep the Committee regularly informed of the situation in this regard,

m) Law and order

- To assist the Government of Côte d’Ivoire in conjunction with the African Union, ECOWAS and other international organizations in restoring a civilian policing presence throughout Côte d’Ivoire, and to advise the Government of Côte d’Ivoire on the restructuring of the internal security services,

- To assist the Government of Côte d’Ivoire in conjunction with the African Union, ECOWAS and other international organizations in re-establishing the authority of the judiciary and the rule of law throughout Côte d’Ivoire,

- To support the Government of Côte d’Ivoire in ensuring the neutrality and impartiality of public media by providing, as necessary, security of the premises of the Radio Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI);

“3.   Decides to extend the provisions of paragraph 3 of resolution 1609 (2005) and of paragraph 2 of resolution 1682 (2006) for the period specified in paragraph 1 above;

“4.   Reaffirms its intention to authorize the Secretary-General to redeploy on a temporary basis troops between UNMIL and UNOCIas may be needed, in consultation with the Governments concerned and relevant troop-contributing countries, in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1609 (2005);

“5.   Authorizes UNOCI to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate, within its capabilities and its areas of deployment;

“6.   Requests UNOCI to carry out its mandate in close liaison with UNMIL, including especially in the prevention of movements of arms and combatants across shared borders and the implementation of disarmament and demobilization programmes;

“7.   Urges UNOCI to take into accountthe rights of women and of gender considerations as set out in Security Council resolution 1325 as a cross-cutting issue, including through consultation with local and international women's group, and requests the Secretary-General, where appropriate, to include in his reporting to the Security Council progress on gender mainstreaming throughout UNOCI and all other aspects relating to the situation of women and girls, especially in relation to the need to protect them from gender-based violence;

“8.   Authorizes from the date of adoption of this resolution the French forces to use all necessary means in order to support UNOCI in accordance with the agreement reached between UNOCI and the French authorities, and in particular to:

a)    Contribute to the general security of the area of activity of the impartial forces,

b)    Intervene at the request of UNOCI in support of its elements whose security may be threatened,

c)    In consultation with UNOCI, intervene against belligerent actions, if the security conditions so require, outside UNOCI’s areas of deployment,

d)    Help to protect civilians, in the deployment areas of their units,

e)    Contribute to monitoring the arms embargo established by resolution 1572 (2004),

f)    Contribute to the drawing up ofa plan on the restructuring of the Defence and Security Forces and to the preparation of possible seminars on security sector reform to be organized by the African Union and ECOWAS;

“9.   Calls upon all parties to cooperate fully in the deployment and operations of UNOCI and of the French forces which support it, in particular by guaranteeing their safety, security and freedom of movement with unhindered and immediate access, as well as associated personnel, throughout the territory of Côte d’Ivoire, to enable them to carry out fully their mandates;

“10.  Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

* *** *

For information media • not an official record