Fri, 23:56 12 Dec 2008 GMT17

 

UN renews Ivory Coast sanctions after poll delay
29 Oct 2008 15:52:29 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Louis Charbonneau

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 29 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday renewed for another year its ban on arms and diamond trade with Ivory Coast but promised to review the embargo once the country holds a presidential election.

Earlier this month an election official in the world's top cocoa exporter said delays in the identification and registration of voters meant that the presidential vote scheduled for next month would not take place until next year.

The 15-nation council unanimously approved the French-drafted resolution extending the arms embargo imposed on Ivory Coast in 2004 over violations of a 2003 cease-fire between the government and New Forces rebels who control the country's north.

An embargo on buying rough diamonds mined in the economic powerhouse of Francophone West Africa followed in 2005.

The sanctions were renewed until Oct. 31, 2009, but the resolution says the council will review them "no later than three months after the holding of free, fair and transparent presidential elections in accordance with international standards."

One senior council diplomat described the council's action as part of a "carrot and stick" strategy intended to motivate the country to prevent any further election delays.

The vote in Ivory Coast, which had already been delayed several times since 2005 by political conflict and sporadic violence, was scheduled for Nov. 30.

But an official at the Independent Electoral Commission told Reuters in Abidjan that delays in the registration of voters, including a strike by census officials working to identify citizens, meant the poll could not be held on the planned date.

The election will seal a March 2007 peace deal signed between President Laurent Gbagbo and northern rebels, who fought a 2002-03 civil war in the West African state, where French and United Nations peacekeepers are backing the election process.

Gbagbo is widely expected to stand for re-election.

The vote is now expected to be held in the first quarter of 2009, though the Ivorian electoral official said the new date for the poll might not be announced until mid-November. (Editing by Jackie Frank)
AlertNet news is provided by

Background information


Related articles

Breaking stories
Africa Rwanda prosecutor says Kenya fails to arrest suspect

Americas Jellyfish gone wild ruin tourist spots, report says

AlertNet insight
Asia Island nations slam slow U.N. progress on climate adaptation

Aid agency news feed
ADRA Achieves Charity Navigator's Top Honor for Fourth Consecutive Year

Blogs
Africa Obama and Darfur - What to Expect

Maps
Americas MAP: Global Incidence of H5N1 Virus


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-12-03T024156Z_01_POY0617_RTRIDSP_2_IVORYCOAST-ELECTIONS-FRANCE_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/POY0617.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-11-21T220718Z_01_BON12_RTRIDSP_2_IVORY-COAST_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BON12.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-11-21T220539Z_01_BON11_RTRIDSP_2_IVORY-COAST_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BON11.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-11-21T220447Z_01_BON09_RTRIDSP_2_IVORY-COAST_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BON09.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-11-21T220416Z_01_BON08_RTRIDSP_2_IVORY-COAST_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BON08.htm

RNPS IMAGES OF THE YEAR 2008 French soldiers with the LICORNE force in Ivory Coast take part in a training exercise in Man September 24, 2008. French peacekeepers in Ivory Coast ...



URL: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N29465603.htm

For our full disclaimer and copyright information please visit http://www.alertnet.org