Security Council

5772^nd Meeting* (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS CÔTE D’IVOIRE SANCTIONS UNTIL 31 OCTOBER 2008,

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1782 (2007)

 

Measures Include Arms, Rough Diamond Ban;

Will Be Reviewed as Elections Held, Political Agreement Implemented

Determining that the situation in Côte d’Ivoire continued to pose a threat to international peace and security in the region, the Security Council today renewed until 31 October 2008 the arms and rough diamond bans it had imposed on the country, as well as targeted measures, such as travel restrictions and the freezing of funds, against certain individuals.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1782 (2007) -- which was submitted by France -- and acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council also extended the mandate of the Group of Experts it had created to monitor the sanctions and to administer the list of individuals subject to travel and financial measures, as set out in resolutions 1572 (2004) and 1643 (2005).

By further terms, the Council would review the renewed measures in light of progress achieved in implementation of the key steps of the peace process as referred to in resolution 1765 (2007) of 16 July (see Press Release SC/9078).  The Council would carry out an interim review once the parties had fully implemented the Ouagadougou political Agreement and after the holding of open, free, fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections, but no later than 30 April 2008.

[The 4 March 2007 Ouagadougou political Agreement calls, among other steps, for creating a new transitional Government; organizing free and fair presidential elections; merging the Forces nouvelles and the national defence and security forces through the establishment of an integrated command centre; dismantling the militias, disarming ex-combatants and enrolling them in civil services programmes; and replacing the so-called zone of confidence separating north and south with a green line to be monitored by the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI).]

The Council warned that any serious obstacle to the freedom of movement of UNOCI or the French forces that support it, or any attack on or obstruction of UNOCI, the French forces, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General or the Facilitator of the peace process would constitute a threat to the peace and national reconciliation process and could trigger travel restrictions and/or freezing of funds.

The Council also underlined that it was fully prepared to impose targeted measures against persons to be designated by the Committee who were determined to be, among other things, a threat to the peace and national reconciliation process, attacking or obstructing the action of UNOCI or the French forces, responsible for serious human rights violations, or publicly inciting hatred and violence. 

The meeting began at 12:45 p.m. and was adjourned at 12:50 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of Security Council resolution 1782 (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,

“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,

“Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General dated 8 October 2007 (S/2007/593) and of the reports of the United Nations Group of Experts on Côte d’Ivoire dated 14 June 2007 (S/2007/349) and 21 September 2007 (S/2007/611),

“Recalling that it endorsed the Agreement signed by President Laurent Gbagbo and Mr. Guillaume Soro in Ouagadougou on 4 March 2007 (‘the Ouagadougou political Agreement’, S/2007/144), and that it has supported the appointment of Mr. Guillaume Soro as Prime Minister,

“Paying again tribute to the Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso (‘the Facilitator’) for his continued efforts to facilitate the inter-Ivorian direct dialogue that led, in particular, to the signing of the Ouagadougou political Agreement, and welcoming the appointment of Mr. Boureima Badini as Special Representative of the Facilitator in Abidjan,

“Reiterating its strong condemnation of any attempt to destabilize the peace process by force, in particular the attack committed on 29 June 2007 in Bouaké against the Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Guillaume Soro, that resulted in several deaths, and stressing that the perpetrators of such criminal acts must be brought to justice,

“Welcoming the initial measures to implement the Ouagadougou political Agreement, recalling its request to the Ivorian parties to implement their commitments under the Agreement fully and in good faith and urging them to take, without delay, the specific measures necessary to make progress in particular in the identification and registration of voters, the disarmament and dismantling of militias, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, the unification and restructuring of the defence and security forces and the restoration of State authority throughout the country,

“Recalling that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Côte d’Ivoire shall certify that all stages of the electoral process provide all the necessary guarantees for the holding of open, free, fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections in accordance with international standards,

“Reiterating its firm condemnation of all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Côte d’Ivoire, and recalling its resolutions 1460 (2003) and 1612 (2005) on children and armed conflict and its resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security,

“Recalling that the Committee established by paragraph 14 of resolution 1572 (2004) (the Committee) will consider and decide upon requests for the exemptions set out in paragraphs 8, 10 and 12 of resolution 1572 (2004) which are submitted in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the Committee, and expressing the availability of the Committee and of the Group of Experts to give technical explanations as may be needed,

“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 to renew until 31 October 2008 the provisions of paragraphs 7 to 12 of resolution 1572 (2004) and of paragraph 6 of resolution 1643 (2005);

“2.   Decides to review the measures imposed by paragraphs 7, 9 and 11 of resolution 1572 (2004) and paragraph 6 of resolution 1643 (2005) and renewed in paragraph 1 above, in light of progress achieved in the implementation of the key steps of the peace process as referred to in resolution 1765 (2007), by the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 1, and decides further to carry out a review of the measures during the period mentioned in paragraph 1 above:

(a)   Once the parties have fully implemented the Ouagadougou political Agreement and after the holding of open, free, fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections in accordance with international standards; or

(b)   No later than 30 April 2008;

“3.   Demands in particular that the Ivorian authorities put an immediate end to any violation of measures imposed by paragraph 11 of resolution 1572 (2004) including those violations mentioned by the Group of Experts in its report dated 21 September 2007 (S/2007/611);

“4.   Reiterates its demand that all Ivorian parties to the Ouagadougou political Agreement, in particular the Ivorian authorities, provide unhindered access, particularly to the Group of Experts established pursuant to paragraph 9 of resolution 1643 (2005), to equipment, sites and installations referred to in paragraph 2 (a) of resolution 1584 (2005), and to the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French forces which support it in order to carry out their respective mandates as set out in paragraphs 2 and 8 of resolution 1739 (2007) and renewed in resolution 1765 (2007);

“5.   Decides that any serious obstacle to the freedom of movement of UNOCI and of the French forces which support it, or any attack or obstruction of the action of UNOCI, of the French forces, of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, of the Facilitator mentioned in paragraph 10 of resolution 1765 (2007) or his Special Representative in Côte d’Ivoire shall constitute a threat to the peace and national reconciliation process for the purposes of paragraphs 9 and 11 of resolution 1572 (2004);

“6.   Requests the Secretary-General and the French Government to report to it immediately, through the Committee, any serious obstacle to the freedom of movement of UNOCI and of the French forces which support it, including the names of those responsible, and requests also the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the Facilitator or his Special Representative in Côte d’Ivoire to report to it immediately, through the Committee, any attack or obstruction of their action;

“7.   Requests all States concerned, in particular those in the region, to cooperate fully with the Committee, and authorizes the Committee to request whatever further information it may consider necessary;

“8.   Decides to extend the mandate of the Group of Experts as set out in paragraph 7 of resolution 1727 (2006) until 31 October 2008 and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary administrative measures;

“9.   Urges all the Ivorian parties and, in particular, the civilian and military authorities of Côte d’Ivoire, to collaborate more actively with the Group of Experts and to provide it with the information and documentation it requests with a view to fulfilling its mandate;

“10.  Requests the Group of Experts to provide a midterm report to the Committee by 15 April 2008 and to submit a final written report to the Security Council through the Committee 15 days before the end of its mandated period, on the implementation of the measures imposed by paragraphs 7, 9 and 11 of resolution 1572 (2004) and paragraph 6 of resolution 1643 (2005), as well as recommendations in this regard;

“11.  Requests the Secretary-General to communicate as appropriate to the Security Council, through the Committee, information gathered by UNOCI and, where possible, reviewed by the Group of Experts, concerning the supply of arms and related materiel to Côte d’Ivoire;

“12.  Requests also the French Government to communicate as appropriate to the Security Council, through the Committee, information gathered by the French forces and, where possible, reviewed by the Group of Experts, concerning the supply of arms and related materiel to Côte d’Ivoire;

“13.  Requests also the Kimberley Process to communicate as appropriate to the Security Council, through the Committee, information which, where possible, has been reviewed by the Group of Experts, concerning the production and illicit export of diamonds;

“14.  Urges all States, relevant United Nations bodies and other organizations and interested parties, including the Kimberley Process, to cooperate fully with the Committee, the Group of Experts, UNOCI and the French forces, in particular by supplying any information at their disposal on possible violations of the measures imposed by paragraphs 7, 9 and 11 of resolution 1572 (2004), paragraph 6 of resolution 1643 (2005) and reiterated in paragraph 1 above;

“15.  Underlines that it is fully prepared to impose targeted measures against persons to be designated by the Committee who are determined to be, among other things:

(a)   A threat to the peace and national reconciliation process in Côte d’Ivoire, in particular by blocking the implementation of the peace process as referred to in the Ouagadougou political Agreement;

(b)   Attacking or obstructing the action of UNOCI, of the French forces which support it, of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, of the Facilitator or his Special Representative in Côte d’Ivoire;

(c)   Responsible for obstacles to the freedom of movement of UNOCI and of the French forces which support it,

(d)   Responsible for serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed in Côte d’Ivoire;

(e)   Inciting publicly hatred and violence;

(f)   Acting in violation of the measures imposed by paragraph 7 of resolution 1572 (2004);

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

Background

The Council had before it the report of the Group of Experts on Côte d’Ivoire on the implementation of paragraph 2 of Security Council resolution 1761 (2006), conveyed by a letter dated 17 October 2007 from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1572 (2004) concerning Côte d’Ivoire addressed to the President of the Security Council (document S/2007/611).  The report covers the implementation of sanctions on arms and diamonds in Côte d’Ivoire since the previous report of 14 June 2007.

In the report, the Group of Experts says that it has observed a lack of understanding on the part of certain Ivorian political authorities who believe that their mission was no longer necessary after the signing of the Ouagadougou political Agreement.  A similar attitude was detected in the military under the command of the Defence and Security Forces of Côte d’Ivoire, during the embargo inspections carried out by the impartial forces, for which permission is being refused with increasing frequency.  Among the problems in monitoring that have resulted is a discrepancy between the weapons lists provided by the Defence and Security Forces of Côte d’Ivoire and the Forces nouvelles, and their real capacities.

The Group says that Ivorian stakeholders and the international community should make every effort to implement programmes to disarm combatants and dismantle militias.  It recommends that UNOCI require the Defence and Security Forces of Côte d’Ivoire and the Forces nouvelles to provide it with an inventory of all the arms in their possession and, to the extent possible, with identifying information for each weapon.

While acknowledging the law enforcement equipment needs of the National Police, the experts remind the Ivorian authorities that they must abide by the exemption procedures established by the United Nations, and recommends that UNOCI physically inspect the law enforcement equipment purchased by the National Police from the company Imperial Armour.

Claiming that hindrances to embargo inspections persist, the experts remind the Defence and Security Forces and the Forces nouvelles, particularly the Republican Guard units, that the impartial forces cannot fulfil their monitoring mandate without these authorities’ cooperation.  The experts also call upon the Sanctions Committee to urge the civilian authorities of Côte d’Ivoire to cooperate more fully with the Group of Experts, especially with regard to the exchange of information and documentation.  To ensure better follow-up to its monitoring activities, the Group recommends that UNOCI provide its embargo cell with sufficient human resources.

From its investigations into individual violations of the sanctions, the Group recommends that the Ivorian authorities freeze the funds of Charles Goudé Blé, who was publicly given a royalty check by a State-owned publisher.  That act, the Group believes, is a violation of the provisions of paragraph 11 of resolution 1572 (2004). In regard to violations of the diamond embargo, it said it uncovered evidence of persistent mining activity in the Tortiya and Séguéla areas, as well as confirmation of Ivorian diamonds smuggled out of the country by Malian networks.  The experts call upon the authorities of all the countries bordering Côte d’Ivoire to strengthen their internal controls over diamonds, urging the Ivorian authorities to take all appropriate measures to prevent the export of Ivorian diamonds.

Finally, the Group requests that all States, particularly those in West Africa, be reminded of their reporting obligations under resolution 1572 (2004). To reduce misunderstandings, the experts said it is important to ensure broad awareness, in Côte d’Ivoire and in neighbouring countries, of the scope of Security Council decisions on the sanctions regime on Côte d’Ivoire.  This, they hope, will help to reduce misunderstandings.

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*     The 5770^th and 5771^st Meetings were closed.

For information media • not an official record