United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire
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The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire ("UNOCI") is a United Nations peacekeeping mission. The aim of the mission is "to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003"(which aimed to end the Ivorian Civil War). The two main Ivorian parties here are the Ivorian Government forces who control the south of the country, and the New Forces - who control the north. The UNOCI mission aims to control a "zone of confidence" across the centre of the country separating the two parties.
The peacekeeping mission's official name is ONUCI, which is the French acronym for "Opération des Nations Unies en Côte d'Ivoire".
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[edit] History
The mission was authorized on 27 February 2004 to take over from MINUCI from April 2004.[1] The mandate was subsequently extended several times, most recently until 31 October 2008. [2]
On February 2006, following the appeal by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the United Nations Security Council agreed to strengthen the ONUCI forces by sending a battalion from United Nations Mission in Liberia with 800-soldiers to Cote d'Ivoire. [3]
As of November, 2006, the mission consists of about 8,000 uniformed soldiers from a total of 41 countries. They were deployed alongside 4,000 French peacekeeping forces [4](seems to be Operation Licorne).
In January 2007, the UN Security Council extended the mission until 30 June 2007.[5]
On July 21, 2007 the UNOCI suspended a Moroccan peacekeeping unit in Ivory Coast following an investigation into allegations of widespread sexual abuse committed by U.N. peacekeepers in the nation. But after the investigation it was clear that it was false alarm. [1]
[edit] Incidents
In January 2006, supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo attacked the base of the United Nations peacekeepers after the Ivorian Popular Front withdraws from the Ivorian Civil War peace process. About 1,000 protesters invaded the UN base at Guiglo [6]
[edit] Casualties
A total of 32 UN personnel have died during UNOCI, including 23 UN peacekeepers in 2005-2007 (this may vary because UNOCI is still an ongoing peacekeeping mission).
[edit] References
- ^ United Nations Security Council Resolution 1528 S-RES-1528(2004) page 2 on 27 February 2004 (retrieved 2007-10-23)
- ^ United Nations Security Council Resolution 1782 S-RES-1782(2007) on 29 October 2007 (retrieved 2007-10-30)
- ^ "COTE D IVOIRE: Security Council bolsters troubled peacekeeping force", 6 February 2006.
- ^ "UN extends mandate of troops in Ivory Coast", Independent Online, 11 January 2007.
- ^ "UN Extends Mandate of Peacekeeping Forces in Ivory Coast", Voice of America, 10 January 2007.
- ^ "Ivorian party quits peace process", 17 January 2006.
