Security Council

6402^nd Meeting (AM)

Concerned about Ongoing Human Rights Violations in Cote d’Ivoire, Security Council

Renews for Six Months Arms Embargo, Diamond Trade Ban, in Resolution 1946 (2010)

Noting with concern the persistence of human rights violations, including sexual violence, in Côte d’Ivoire, the Security Council this morning renewed for six months ending 30 April 2011 its arms embargo and diamond trade ban on the country, as well as targeted sanctions restricting the travel of individuals that threatened the peace process there.

By resolution 1946 (2010), adopted unanimously under the Charter’s Chapter VII, the Council said it would review those measures, in light of progress made during the period in the holding of long-delayed presidential elections and of other progress achieved in implementing key steps of the peace process, with a view to possibly modifying, lifting or maintaining the sanctions regime.

The Council demanded that all parties to the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement — which ended the conflict that had divided country between a rebel-held north and Government-controlled south since 2002 — provide unhindered access to the group of experts established to monitor the sanctions, the mandate of which was also extended for another six months.

It demanded, further, that access be provided to all relevant equipment, sites and installations, and to all weapons, ammunition and related materiel regardless of location, when appropriate and without notice and including items under the control of Republican Guard units.  In addition to the panel, the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French forces that support it must have access under the same conditions, the Council added.

The Council also decided that the arms embargo would not apply to the supplies of non-lethal equipment intended solely to enable the Ivorian security forces to use only appropriate and proportional force while maintaining public order, as approved in advance by the Sanctions Committee.

The Council underlined 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, and those who attacked or obstructed the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and its partners, as well as those threatening human rights or inciting public hatred and violence.  In that regard, the Council noted with concern reports of incitement of violence by various media outlets.

The meeting was opened at 10:15 a.m. and adjourned at 10:18 a.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1946 (2010) 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 1880 (2009), 1893 (2009), 1911 (2010) and 1933 (2010),

“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 20 May 2010 (S/2010/245) and of the reports of the United Nations Group of Experts on Côte d’Ivoire dated 9 October 2009 (S/2009/521), 12 April 2010 (S/2010/179),

“Emphasizing the continued contribution to Côte d’Ivoire’s stability, in particular in the context of the planned presidential elections, of the measures imposed by resolutions 1572 (2004) and 1643 (2005) and stressing that these measures aim at supporting the peace process in Côte d’Ivoire,

“Welcoming the conclusions of the last meeting of the Permanent Consultative Framework held in Ouagadougou on 21 September 2010 under the aegis of the Facilitator, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, welcoming the establishment and the certification of the voters list, taking note of the commitments of the Ivorian stakeholders to hold the first round of the presidential elections on 31 October 2010 and urging them to ensure that elections take place as scheduled and complete this electoral process in open, free, fair and transparent conditions, within the time frame fixed by the Independent Electoral Commission,

“Noting with concern, in spite of the sustained improvement of the overall human rights situation, the persistence of reported human rights and humanitarian law violations against civilians in different parts of the country, including 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), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009) on women, peace and security, its resolutions 1612 (2005) and 1882 (2009) on children and armed conflict and its resolutions 1674 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts,

“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 30 April 2011 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 electoral process and in the implementation of the key steps of the peace process, as referred to in resolution 1933 (2010), 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 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, with a view to possibly modifying, lifting or maintaining the sanctions regime, in accordance with progress in the peace process;

“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) to bring its full support within its capacities and mandate and further calls upon the French forces to support UNOCI in this regard, within the limits of their deployment and their capabilities;

“4.   Demands that the Ivorian parties to the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, in particular the Ivorian authorities, provide unhindered access particularly to the Group of Experts firstly established pursuant to paragraph 7 of resolution 1584 (2004), to equipment, sites and installations referred to in paragraph 2 (a) of resolution 1584 (2005), and to all weapons, ammunition and related materiel, regardless of location, when appropriate without notice and including those under the control of Republican Guard units, and demands further that they provide access under the same conditions to UNOCI in order to carry out its mandate and to the French forces which support it, as set out in its resolutions 1739 (2007), 1880 (2009) and 1933 (2010);

“5.   Decides, in line with paragraph 27 of resolution 1933 (2010) and in addition to the provisions of paragraph 8 of resolution 1572 (2004), that the arms embargo shall not apply to the supplies of non-lethal equipment intended solely to enable the Ivorian security forces to use only appropriate and proportionate force while maintaining public order, as approved in advance by the Sanctions Committee;

“6.   Underlines that it is fully prepared to impose targeted measures against persons to be designated by the Committee in accordance with paragraphs 9, 11 and 14 of resolution 1572 (2004) 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, of 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);

“7.   Notes with concern UNOCI’s Media Monitoring reports and the media outlets referenced therein for inciting violence and a resumption of internal conflict and stresses that it remains ready to impose sanctions against those who obstruct the electoral process, specifically the action of the Independent Electoral Commission and all other operators involved, and the proclamation and certification of the results of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections;

“8.   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;

“9.   Decides to extend the mandate of the Group of Experts as set out in paragraph 7 of resolution 1727 (2006) until 30 April 2011 and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary administrative measures;

“10.  Decides that the report referred to in paragraph 7 (e) of resolution 1727 (2006) may include, as appropriate, any information and recommendations relevant to the Committee’s possible additional designation of the individuals and entities described in paragraphs 9 and 11 of resolution 1572 (2004) and further recalls the Informal Working Group on General Issues of Sanctions report (S/2006/997) on best practices and methods, including paragraphs 21, 22, and 23 that discuss possible steps for clarifying methodological standards for monitoring mechanisms;

“11.  Requests the Group of Experts to submit a report as well as recommendations 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);

“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 from Côte d’Ivoire and further decides to renew the exemptions set out by paragraph 16 and 17 of resolution 1893 (2009) with regard to the securing of samples of rough diamonds for scientific research purposes coordinated by the Kimberley Process;

“15.  Urges all States, relevant United Nations bodies and other organizations and interested parties, 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; further requests the group of experts to coordinate its activities as appropriate with all actors involved to promote the political process in Côte d’Ivoire;

“16.  Urges further in this context that all Ivorian parties and all States, particularly those in the region, ensure:

–     the safety of the members of the Group of Experts;

–     unhindered access by the Group of Experts, in particular to persons, documents and sites in order for the Group of Experts to execute its mandate;

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

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For information media • not an official record