Côte d’Ivoire / UNOCI chief urges peacekeepers to maintain stability in Cote d’Ivoire
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire, March 24, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire, Y.J. Choi, has called on peacekeepers in Bouaké to continue their commitment to peace and stability in the country.
Speaking during a medal award ceremony for 200 soldiers of the Pakistani battalion for their active role in the Ivorian peace process, Mr. Choi said that the electoral process had been considerably weakened. He explained: “We now have a new complex election – reunification dynamic”.
Faced with this political situation which he considered unpredictable, the Chief of UNOCI reiterated the three objectives of the United Nations mission in the immediate future. These are maintaining peace and stability, preserving past achievements such as the provisional electoral list, and producing a definitive electoral list as quickly as possible.
Mr. Choi said the success of the first objective depended mainly on the military component, recalling the role of UNOCI’s force in the crisis-resolution process. In this regard, he urged the peacekeepers to maintain their unwavering commitment to the return of peace and stability in Cote d’Ivoire.
Earlier, the Chief of UNOCI recounted the participation of Pakistan in 34 peacekeeping missions around the world in the past 50 years. “You have worked hard to enable the UNOCI to accomplish its mission. It is an example of your commitment to the service of peace,” Mr. Choi told the recipients.
The Commander of the battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Mamon Rashid, reiterated the commitment of his troops to continue to accomplish their tasks in conformity with the mission conferred on them in Cote d’Ivoire.
The Deputy Force Commander, General Benjamin Kusi, the Commander of Force Licorne and the Chief of Staff of Armed Forces of the Forces Nouvelles, Generals Francis Autran and Soumaila Bakayoko also attended the ceremony.
SOURCE
Mission of UN in Côte d’Ivoire
