Security Council

6133^rd Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT OF TIME FRAME FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

IN Côte d’Ivoire, LEADING TO FIRST ROUND OF VOTING ON 29 NOVEMBER

Presidential Statement Expresses Hope Announcement

Will Give New Impetus to Implementation of Ouagadougou Agreement

The Security Council this afternoon welcomed the announcement of a time frame for long-postponed presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire, endorsed by all political actors and leading to a first round of voting on 29 November 2009.

Through a statement read out by Vitaly Churkin of the Russian Federation, which holds the rotating Council presidency for the month of May, the Council expressed the hope that the schedule’s announcement would give new impetus to fulfilment of the Ouagadougou Agreement and its supplements, which make up the blueprint for political reconciliation in the West African country.

Council members underlined the importance of meeting the objectives of each of the five stages leading to the elections, including the publication of a provisional voters’ list and a final voters’ list, the production and distribution of cards for identification and voting leading to, ultimately, the electoral campaign.

To ensure that the schedule was met and that the resulting elections were free, fair, open, transparent and conducted in a secure environment, the Council urged Ivorian political actors to meet their commitments in full and without further delay.

The meeting began at 12:10 p.m. and ended at 12:15 p.m.

The full text of the statement contained in document PRST/2009/16 reads as follows:

“The Security Council welcomes the communiqué dated 18 May 2009 of the Permanent Consultative Framework of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, which provides a comprehensive electoral time frame leading to the first round of the presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire on 29 November 2009.  It stresses that this time frame has been endorsed by all the main Ivorian political actors, as requested by the statement of the President of the Security Council S/PRST/2008/42 and resolution 1865 (2009).

“The Security Council underlines the importance of the effective implementation of each of the five stages leading to the elections, as referred to in the report of the Secretary-General dated 13 April 2009 (S/2009/196), namely:  (1) the publication of the provisional voters’ list at the end of voter registration operations, (2) the publication of the final voters’ list, (3) the production of identification and voters’ cards, (4) the distribution of identification and voters’ cards and (5) the electoral campaigning period.

“The Security Council, consistent with its resolution 1865 (2009), underlines that this timeline binds the Ivorian political actors and that the way it will be implemented will reflect their level of political commitment towards the holding of free, fair, open and transparent elections in a secure environment.  The Security Council urges the Ivorian political actors to meet their commitments in full and without further delay.  It urges again the political actors in particular to comply fully with the Code of Good Conduct for elections they signed under the auspices of the Secretary-General on 24 April 2008.

“The Security Council reaffirms its full support to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire and to the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire, and recalls that the Special Representative shall certify that all stages of the electoral process provide all the necessary guarantees for the holding of free, fair, open and transparent presidential and legislative elections in accordance with international standards, consistent with paragraph 20 of resolution 1865 (2009).  It takes note of the request by the Ivorian parties that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General make known and explain to all Ivorian stakeholders the content and modus operandi of the five-criteria framework referred to in document S/2008/250 and in resolution 1865 (2009).

“The Security Council reiterates its full support for the Facilitator, and calls on the Ivorian political actors to continue to cooperate fully with him, in particular in this critical phase of the peace process.

“The Security Council expresses the hope that the announcement of the electoral time frame will give a new impetus to the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political agreement and its Supplementary Agreements.  It takes note of the ceremony of transfer of authority held in Bouake on the 26^th of May 2009 as a positive development and urges the Ivorian parties to continue to make progress.

“The Security Council reiterates its determination to bring its full support to a credible electoral process in Côte d’Ivoire.  To this end, it requests the Secretary-General to keep it closely and regularly informed of the progress made by the parties in the implementation of each of the key stages of the electoral time frame.”

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For information media • not an official record