Cote d’Ivoire / UNOCI encourages candidates to register for legislative elections
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire, October 27, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Summary of UNOCI weekly press conference
UNOCI encourages the parties, political groupings and all those interested in contesting the legislative elections scheduled for 11 December 2011, to seize the opportunity of the extended deadline for registration to present their candidature to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in accordance with the applicable rules, the Spokesman for the United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), Hamadoun Touré said in Abidjan on Thursday.
Speaking during the Mission’s weekly press conference, Mr. Touré added that in this regard, UNOCI having noted the decision by the IEC to extend the deadline for the registration of candidates until 31 October 2011, calls on the Ivorian parties to pursue their individual and collective efforts to guarantee that the process is inclusive.
He reaffirmed UNOCI’s availability to accompany the national institutions, namely the IEC and the Government, to carry out the key stages identified by the IEC.
“In this regard, UNOCI reiterates that one of the main challenges that its teams, in collaboration with the United Nations agencies and partners in the electoral process must overcome, is that of electoral logistics,” said the Spokesman.
These issues, said Mr. Touré, were undoubtedly at the centre of discussions that the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire, Bert Koenders, had with the Ivorian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Daniel Kablan Duncan, during his first meeting today with the Ivorian authorities. “The aim of this meeting was to reaffirm his determination to support the ongoing efforts to establish peace in the country, by restoring security and re-establishing the rule of law, ensuring respect for human rights and organising legislative elections,” the Spokesman explained.
Concerning the Mission’s support to electoral sensitisation, Mr. Touré outlined UNOCI’s local activities to encourage Ivorians to make a commitment to establishing a peaceful post-crisis environment in preparation for credible inclusive, open and transparent legislative elections.
In this regard, he announced the arrival of ONUCI Tour in the Abidjan neighbourhood of Koumassi on Wednesday, 2 November, adding that sessions of ONUCI Tour will also be organized in several localities in the interior of the country.
Turning to military matters, in accordance with its mandate to protect civilians and support preparations for the legislative elections, UNOCI’s Force carried out some 1,300 air and ground patrols during the past week, said Mr. Touré, adding that the peacekeepers had provided security for and facilitated the movement of several humanitarian organizations working in Côte d’Ivoire.
Demining and depollution teams continue to clean up sites where unexploded ordnances have been found, he said.
Mr. Touré also informed journalists that the Human Rights Division had organised a training seminar on human rights investigation and documentation techniques for 30 participants from human rights NGOs and other partners from 24 to 26 October 2011 in Abidjan.
“The main objective of this training seminar is to build the capacity of national NGOs on surveillance, investigation, documentation and reporting and advocacy techniques on human rights violations,” he explained.
SOURCE
Mission of UN in Côte d’Ivoire
