Press Conference by Special Representative for Côte d’Ivoire

 

The Head of the United Nations mission in Côte d’Ivoire — known as UNOCI — told reporters gathered at Headquarters today that the presidential elections would be held as scheduled on 31 October in the West African country.

Addressing correspondents via a video link, Choi Young-jin, who is also the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Côte d’Ivoire, said solutions had been found to meet the logistical and political challenges surrounding the elections.

The Independent Electoral Commission had several important events in November and the provisional results of the first round would be announced on 3 November, he said.  Confirmation of the final results of the first round would be announced on 10 November by the Constitutional Council.  A second round of elections, if needed, would be held on 28 November.

The electoral campaign for the polling began on 15 October, and Mr. Choi has called on all sides to avoid any violent disruption of the country’s long-delayed elections, originally slated for 2005 as part of a peace deal.

In response to a recommendation by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Security Council agreed on 29 September to send up to 500 additional uniformed personnel to UNOCI — to be divided among military and police contingents — to reinforce the mission’s 8,650-strong capacity to contribute to the security arrangements before, during and after the elections.  (See Press Release SC/10045)  Then, on 15 October, the Council extended wide-ranging sanctions that included weapons, financing and travel, until the end of April.  The Council said it would review the measures no later than three months after the presidential elections.  (See Press Release SC/10057)

The United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire was set up in 2004 in the aftermath of a two-year civil war to monitor a ceasefire and help bring stability, including the staging of elections and to end the country’s split into a south controlled by the Government and a north held by rebels.

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For information media • not an official record