UN extends Côte d'Ivoire peacekeeping mission another year

[News_Editor]

UN extends Côte d'Ivoire peacekeeping mission another year

2011-07-28 04:49:06 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday extended for another year the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire.

The Council unanimously adopted a resolution to assist the country tackle the many challenges it faces following the recent post-election crisis. The UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) will remain in the country until July 31, 2012 at its current strength of nearly 9,800 troops, which includes the additional 2,000 troops deployed earlier this year to protect civilians after violence erupted following last November's presidential elections.

The West African nation is emerging from a political crisis that 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.

The country now faces a number of key post-crisis tasks, including the restoration of law and order, national reconciliation, the holding of legislative elections, and economic recovery. Therefore, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recommended in a recent report that the Council extend UNOCI's mandate for one more year.

"The crisis has taken a massive toll on Côte d'Ivoire and the country cannot be expected to bounce back swiftly to a level where it is able to contribute significant resources of its own towards addressing the immediate threats and priorities," he wrote.

"The country will need our help at this critical time to enable it to get back on its feet," said the Secretary-General, who met with Ouattara on Wednesday at the UN Headquarters in New York.

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. UNOCI was established in 2004 after the country became split by civil war in 2002 into a rebel-held north and Government-controlled south.

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