UN/COTE D'IVOIRE: COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION 1765

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000583 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CI PREL UNSC KPKO PGOV SUBJECT: UN/COTE D'IVOIRE: COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION 1765 RENEWING UNOCI'S MANDATE REF: SECSTATE 98593 ¶1. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1765 (2007) on July 16, renewing the mandate of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) until January 15, 2008. The resolution requests UNOCI to support the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and encourages the Facilitator, President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso to continue to support the peace process. It also terminates the mandate of the High Representative for Elections and transfers to the Special Representative for the Secretary General the responsibility for certifying that the electoral process is "open, free, fair and transparent". Ghana and South Africa co-sponsored the French-drafted resolution. ¶2. USUN will report septel the results of the action request contained in reftel. ¶3. Begin text of Resolution 1765 (2007): The Security Council, Recalling its previous resolutions, in particular resolution 1739, and the statements of its President relating to the situation in Cote d'Ivoire, Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Cote d'Ivoire, and recalling the importance of the principles of good-neighbourliness, non-interference and regional cooperation, Recalling that it endorsed the Agreement signed by President Laurent Gbagbo and Mr Guillaume Soro in Ouagadougou on 4 March 2007 ("the Ouagadougou political Agreement," S/2007/144),and that it has supported the appointment of Mr Guillaume Soro as Prime Minister, Paying tribute to the Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) President Blaise Compaore for his continued efforts of facilitation of the inter-Ivorian direct dialogue that enabled in particular the signing of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, and to other leaders of the region, commending and encouraging the continued efforts of the African Union and ECOWAS to promote peace and stability in Cote d'Ivoire, and reiterating its full support for them, Reiterating its strong condemnation of any attempt to destabilize the peace process by force, in particular the attack committed on 29 June 2007 in Bouake against the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, Mr Guillaume Soro, that resulted in several deaths, and stressing that the perpetrators of such criminal acts must be brought to justice, Having taken note of the report of the Secretary-General dated 14 May 2007 (S/2007/275), Reiterating its firm condemnation of all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Cote d' Ivoire, Recalling its resolutions 1460 (2003) and 1612 (2005) on children and armed conflict and the subsequent conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict pertaining to parties in the armed conflict of Cote d'Ivoire (S/2007/93),Determining that the situation in Cote d'Ivoire continues to pose a threat to international peace and security in the region, Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, ¶1. Decides to renew the mandates of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and of the French forces which support it until 15 January 2008, in order to support the organization in Cote d'Ivoire of free, open, fair and transparent elections within the timeframe set out in the Ouagadougou political Agreement, and expresses its readiness to renew them further as appropriate; ¶2. Endorses the recommendations contained in paragraphs 42 to 72 and 75 to 83 of the report of the Secretary-General dated 14 May 200, which adapt UNOCI's role to the new phase of the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire as set out in the Ouagadougou political Agreement and accordingly requests UNOCI, within its existing resources, to support the full implementation of the Ouagadougou political Agreement, including by supporting the integrated command centre, the restoration of State administration throughout the country, the identification and voter registration processes, the electoral process, persons affected by the conflict, efforts to create a positive political environment, protection and promotion of human rights, and the economic recovery process of Cote d'Ivoire; ¶3. Calls upon all concerned parties to ensure that the protection of children is addressed in the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and the post-conflict and reconstruction and recovery phases, including continued monitoring and reporting of the situation of women and children; ¶4. Also invites the signatories of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement to take the necessary steps to protect vulnerable civilian populations, including by guaranteeing the voluntary return, reinstallation, reintegration and security of displaced persons, with the support of the United Nations system, and to fulfill in this regard their commitments in accordance with the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and their obligations under international humanitarian law; ¶5. Expresses its intention to review by 15 October 2007 the mandates of UNOCI and the French forces which support it, as well as the level of troops of UNOCI, in the light of the progress achieved in the implementation of the key steps of the peace process, and requests the Secretary-General to provide to it a report on these key steps before this date; ¶6. Decides to terminate the mandate of the High Representative for the Elections, decides therefore that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cote d'Ivoire shall certify that all stages of the electoral process provide all the necessary guarantees for the holding of open, free, fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections in accordance with international standards, and requests the Secretary-General to take all the necessary steps so that the Special Representative has at his disposal a support cell providing him all the appropriate assistance to fulfil this task; ¶7. Commends the High Representative for the elections, Mr Gerard Stoudmann, whose tireless efforts permitted progress in the implementation of the peace process and the preparation of the elections; ¶8. Recalls the importance of the provisions of the Ouagadougou political Agreement, including paragraph 8.1, and urges the Ivorian political forces to rely on the mediation by the Facilitator, for any major difficulty concerning the electoral process, ¶9. Supports the establishment, as agreed by the parties at the meeting of the evaluation and monitoring committee dated 11 May 2007 and the Facilitator, of an international consultative organ including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the resident coordinator of the United Nations system, the representatives of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Union, the African Union, the African Development Bank, ECOWAS and France, to accompany the Ivorian political forces and the Facilitator in the implementation of the Ouagadougou political Agreement, and notes that this organ shall participate in the meetings of the evaluation and monitoring committee, as an observer, and may be consulted at any time by the Facilitator; ¶10. Encourages the Facilitator, President Blaise Compaore, to continue to support the process to settle the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, welcomes his decision to appoint a special representative in Abidjan to follow up on the Ouagadougou political Agreement, and requests UNOCI to assist him in the conduct of the facilitation, including by helping him, as appropriate and upon his request, to carry out his arbitration role according to the provisions of paragraph 8.1 of the Ouagadougou political Agreement; ¶11. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. KHALILZAD