Security Council

6004^th Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS CÔTE D’IVOIRE ARMS, DIAMOND TRADE BANS UNTIL 31 OCTOBER 2009

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1842 (2008)

Says Measures Will Be Reviewed Following Free Fair Elections,

Other Progress Achieved in Implementing Key Peace Agreement Steps

The Security Council this morning renewed for another year its arms embargo and diamond trade ban in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as targeted sanctions restricting the travel of individuals that threatened the peace process in the West African country.

By the unanimous adoption of resolution 1842 (2008), the Council said it would review those measures, which were due to expire on 31 October, after the holding of free and fair presidential elections and in light of other progress achieved in implementing key steps of the Ouagadougou Agreement, which ended the conflict that had divided Côte d’Ivoire between a rebel-held north and Government-controlled south since 2002.

The Council reiterated its demand that all Ivorian parties provide unhindered access to the Group of Experts established to monitor the sanctions, and extended the mandate of that Group for another year.  It urged all the Ivorian parties to collaborate more actively with the Group of Experts and to provide it with the information and documentation it requested.

The Secretary-General was asked to communicate to the Security Council, through its sanctions committee, information gathered by the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and, where possible, reviewed by the Group of Experts, concerning the supply of arms and related materiel to the country.

The Council stressed that it was ready to impose targeted measures against persons who are determined to be a threat to the national reconciliation process in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as those threatening human rights there.

The meeting began at 10:05 a.m. and ended at 10:10 a.m.

The full text of resolution 1842 (2008) 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 resolutions 1782 (2007) and 1826 (2008),

“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 14 October 2008 (S/2008/645) and of the reports of the United Nations Group of Experts on Côte d’Ivoire dated 14 April 2008 (S/2008/235) and 15 October 2008 (S/2008/598),

“Emphasizing the continued contribution to Côte d’Ivoire’s stability, in particular in the context of the forthcoming presidential elections, of the measures imposed by resolution 1572 (2004) and 1643 (2005),

“Recalling that in its resolution 1782 (2007), it welcomed the initial measures to implement the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and recalling also that in its resolution 1826 (2008) it encouraged in particular the Ivorian parties to remove the remaining logistical obstacles that impeded the identification of the population and the registration of voters,

“Welcoming in this regard the official launching of the identification and registration of voters operations on the 15 September 2008 and urging the Ivorian parties to take all the necessary steps to complete these operations,

“Noting again with concern, in spite of the sustained improvement of the overall human rights situation, the persistence of cases of human rights violations against civilians, including numerous acts of sexual violence, stressing that the perpetrators must be brought to justice, reiterating its firm condemnation of all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Côte d’Ivoire, and recalling its resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) on women, peace and security, its resolution 1612 (2005) on children and armed conflict and its resolution 1674 (2006) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict,

“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 2009 the measures on arms and the financial and travel measures imposed by paragraphs 7 to 12 of resolution 1572 (2004) and the measures preventing the importation by any State of all rough diamonds from Côte d’Ivoire imposed by paragraph 6 of resolution 1643 (2005);

“2.   Decides to review the measures renewed in paragraph 1 above in light of the progress achieved in the implementation of the key steps of the peace process and of the progress of the electoral process, as referred to in resolution 1826 (2008), by the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 1, and decides further to carry out during the period mentioned in paragraph 1 above:

(a)   A review of the measures renewed in paragraph 1 above no later than three months after the holding of open, free, fair and transparent presidential elections in accordance with international standards; or

(b)   A midterm review no later than 30 April 2009 if no review has been scheduled on the basis of paragraph 2 (a) of this resolution at that date;

“3.   Calls upon the Ivorian parties to the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and all States, in particular those in the subregion, to fully implement the measures renewed in paragraph 1 above, including as appropriate by taking the necessary rules and regulations and calls also upon the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French forces which support it to bring their full support in particular to the implementation of the measures on arms renewed in paragraph 1, within their capacities and respective mandates, as determined in resolution 1739 (2007) and renewed in resolution 1826 (2008);

“4.   Reiterates its demand in particular that the Ivorian authorities take the necessary measures to 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 reports dated 21 September 2007 (S/2007/611) and 15 October 2008 (S/2008/598);

“5.   Reiterates also its demand that the 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), when appropriate without notice and including those under the control of Republican guard units, and to 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 1826 (2008);

“6.   Decides that any threat to the electoral process in Côte d’Ivoire, in particular any attack or obstruction of the action of the Independent electoral Commission in charge of the organization of the elections or the action of the operators mentioned in paragraphs 1.3.3 and 2.1.1 of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement shall constitute a threat to the peace and national reconciliation process for the purposes of paragraphs 9 and 11 of resolution 1572 (2004);

“7.   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);

“8.   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 Secretary-General and the Facilitator to report to it immediately, through the Committee, any attack or obstruction of their action or the action of the special Representatives mentioned in paragraph 6 above;

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

“10.  Decides to extend the mandate of the Group of Experts as set out in paragraph 7 of resolution 1727 (2006) until 31 October 2009 and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary administrative measures;

“11.  Requests the Group of Experts to provide a midterm report to the Committee by 15 April 2009 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;

“12.  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;

“13.  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;

“14.  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;

“15.  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;

“16.  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);

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

Background

The Council had before it a letter dated 8 October 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/2008/598), to which was annexed the report of the Group of Experts, covering that body’s activities since its midterm report of 14 April 2008.

According to the report, the Group travelled extensively throughout the country, visiting relevant authorities, private companies and individuals there and in many other States.  Allegations of possible violations made by States, individuals and companies were brought to the attention of those concerned to give them an opportunity to respond.  The Group pointed out that a number of investigations remained inconclusive due to a variety of factors, including the limited response from some Member States, as well as the failure of Government ministries, institutions or individuals to cooperate to the fullest extent possible.

Among other measures, the Group recommends strengthening the monitoring of the embargo regime on the part of UNOCI, through the deployment of a “significant number” of international customs officers.  In addition, it says that surveillance by the impartial forces was necessary at all airports, landing strips and heliports capable of receiving flights originating in foreign countries.  It also recommends that UNOCI establish an effective mechanism to share information and convey it in a timely manner to the embargo cell, and that it establish comprehensive standard operating procedures to secure any previously unaccounted for military equipment.

Noting frequent refusal of access to required financial information, the Group recommends that the Committee encourage all Member States to instruct their Government authorities, all financial and banking institutions, all private and public companies, individuals and other entities within their territories to fully cooperate.

In regard to diamonds, the Group recommended the use of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme to help the Government institute a basic control mechanism.  Among other actions recommended, it said that Malian authorities should seize diamonds detained at the Bamako airport and that appropriate investigations should be initiated by the authorities of Belgium and Israel to assist the Group of Experts in determining whether activities of entities it had mentioned constituted violations of the sanctions.

In regard to individual sanctions, it recommended that Members States in whose territories violations had occurred immediately undertake comprehensive investigations into the complete financial activities of sanctioned individuals.  The Committee should update the list of individuals subject to sanctions to include the details of two sets of identity documents in the possession of Martin Kouakou, which were annexed to the report.

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For information media • not an official record