28 November 2008
Identification and voter registration in Côte d'Ivoire is progressing without major incident for long-delayed elections, a key element in resolving a political crisis that in 2002 divided the West African country into a rebel-held north and Government-controlled south, the United Nations has reported.
The operation is attracting large crowds in Abidjan, the country's largest city, in the south and in Bouaké, the former rebel stronghold, the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) said.
UNOCI hopes the population will participate just as eagerly when the operation spreads to other parts of the country in line with the deployment of identification teams, spokesman Hamadoun Touré told a news conference in Abidjan yesterday.
The mission will continue with its electoral assistance and logistical and material support by "making its vehicles and staff available in order to accelerate the identification and voter registration operation so that it takes place under the best possible conditions," he said.
He urged the Ivorian authorities to continue along the right track and remain focused on the remaining stages so that they should lead to a definitive end to the crisis.
The identification and registration processes were launched in mid-September in preparation for the elections then slated for 30 November but the polls have now been delayed again for the third time since the signing of the north-south peace pact last year.
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