UN / COTE D'IVOIRE

The Security Council cut a further 1,500 troops from the United Nations peacekeeping Mission in Côte d’Ivoire, which played a major role in halting violence in the country after disputed elections in 2010. UNIFEED-UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:03
• Production Date: 20 January 2016
• Asset Language: Arabic
• Corporate Name: SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: COTE D'IVOIRE
• MAMS Id: 1550388
• Parent Id: 1550388
• Alternate Title: unifeed160120a

Description

STORY: UN / COTE D’IVOIRE
TRT: 01:03
SOURCE: UNIFEED - UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 20 JANUARY 2016, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Pan right, aerial view of United Nations headquarters

20 JANUARY 2016, NEW YORK CITY

2. Med shot, delegates
3. Various shots, Security Council vote
4. Med shot, delegates
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Osama Abdelkhalek Mahmoud, Deputy Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations:
“Egypt continues to think that it is appropriate to lift the measures imposed against the government of Côte d’Ivoire in the framework of the discussion regarding the future of the UN’s mission in Côte d’Ivoire. In parallel to a drawdown of manpower, it is important to undertake efforts to reform the security sector to enable the elected government of Côte d’Ivoire to take on its responsibilities in the area of maintaining peace and security over its territory, given the major regional challenges that the country is facing in the area of security.”
6. Wide shot, Council

Storyline

Reflecting the “considerable and continued progress” in consolidating peace and stability in Côte d’Ivoire, the Security Council today (20 Jan) cut a further 1,500 troops from the United Nations peacekeeping Mission, which played a major role in halting violence in the country after disputed elections in 2010.

In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-Member body decreased the authorized ceiling of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) from 5,437 to 4,000 military personnel by 31 March.

After the vote Egypt’s Ambassador Osama Abdelkhalek Mahmoud told the Council his country “continues to think that it is appropriate to lift the measures imposed against the government of Côte d’Ivoire”

He said that in parallel to a drawdown of manpower, “it is important to undertake efforts to reform the security sector to enable the elected government of Côte d’Ivoire to take on its responsibilities in the area of maintaining peace and security over its territory, given the major regional challenges that the country is facing in the area of security.”

UNOCI, set up in 2004 to facilitate implementation of a peace agreement after the West African country was torn apart by civil war, with an authorized ceiling of 6,240 uniformed personnel, helped restore legitimacy and stability in 2011, along with French forces, after incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to concede defeat in the 2010 elections to Alassane Ouattara.

At its height, the Mission maintained some 7,000 uniformed personnel on the ground, mandated to help protect civilians and support the efforts of the Ivorian authorities to address the root causes of the conflict and establish lasting peace, including security sector reform, and the disarmament and reintegration of armed factions.