Côte d’Ivoire: UN envoy appeals for November presidential elections to keep on track

The top United Nations envoy to the Côte d'Ivoire today called on the West African nation to build on momentum towards holding its much-delayed presidential elections, slated for the end of next month.

In a bid to give new impetus to efforts to stage Côte d'Ivoire's elections, originally scheduled for as far back as 2005 and are now planned for 29 November, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Young-Jin Choi met with the President of neighbouring Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, who is the Facilitator of the Ivorian Dialogue.

After the meeting in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, Mr. Choi welcomed the progress made so far in resolving some of the issues surrounding the stalled polls.

Mr. Choi, who heads the UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), also highlighted the challenges which remain, especially the posting of the provisional electoral list and underscored the urgent need to find a compromise on the issue.

The names of more than 2.75 million people who had registered during the identification and voter registration process have subsequently disappeared.

Mr. Choi was accompanied at the meeting by UNOCI's Force Commander, General Fernand Marcel Amoussou, and the Chief of the mission's Electoral Assistance Division, Ahmedou El Becaye Seck.

Development / Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com