UN Security Council extends deployment of troops in Côte d'Ivoire

UN Security Council extends deployment of troops in Côte d'Ivoire

2011-06-30 03:09:40 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday extended the deployment of the additional troops and helicopters in Côte d'Ivoire.

The Council unanimously adopted a resolution that will keep the 2,000 peacekeepers and air assets in the African nation. The troops will remain in Côte d'Ivoire until July 21 while three armed helicopters redeployed from the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) will stay on until September 30.

The UN reinforcements were authorized in January in order to help the nearly 9,000 strong UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) protect civilians after violence erupted following last November's presidential elections.

A political crisis began when opposition leader Alassane Ouattara defeated former president Laurent Gbagbo in the run-off polls and the latter refused to recognize the results despite being certified and monitored by the UN.

Ouattara was finally sworn in early May after Gbagbo's surrender and arrest in April. Côte d'Ivoire is currently in process of forming an all-inclusive, broad-based government to restore peace to the nation.

According to the UNOCI, the post-electoral crisis resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people and the displacement of up to 1 million, many of whom have fled to neighboring countries.

Earlier this month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that there is high risk of renewed conflict or violence in Côte d'Ivoire and called for an extension of the deployment of troops and helicopters due to the "extremely fragile security situation."

Despite the high risk situation, the European Union on Tuesday decided to lift the remaining restrictions on three Ivorian entities in order to support the economic recovery of the African nation.

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