Global Policy Forum

The Security Council again threatened sanctions against individuals suspected to violate the arms embargo or to impede the peace process in Ivory Coast. Under France's leadership, the Security Council acknowledged the role of diamonds in fuelling the conflict and broadened the arms embargo to include a ban on diamond exports from Ivory Coast. Security Council members suspect that the rebel group New Forces purchases arms with revenue from illicit diamond sales.

The Security Council unanimously approved an immediate arms embargo on Ivory Coast due to government ceasefire violations and unrest in the country. The Council also threatened to impose travel and financial sanctions against leaders should they fail to implement peace agreements by December 15, 2004.

UN Security Council Resolution 1609 extends the mandate of the UN Mission in Ivory Coast (UNOCI), and the French troops supporting it, to January 24, 2006. In addition, the Security Council asks UNOCI to monitor armed groups and militias as well as the arms embargo, and assist with disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration.

UN Security Council Resolution 1584 calls for UN and French troops in Ivory Coast to monitor the arms embargo. The resolution also directs the Security Council to appoint an expert panel to analyze arms flows as well as capabilities of the peacekeeping troops in the region.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan evaluates the progress made by the Ivorian Government of National Reconciliation toward implementing the Linas-Marcoussis agreement. Describing the agreement as the "only way out of the severe crisis," Annan warns that the government's inflammatory and divisive policies can destroy the peace accord.

UN Security Council Resolution 1528 establishes a UN Operation in Ivory Coast (UNOCI) transferring authority from MINUCI and the ECOWAS forces to UNOCI.

In this report, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan recommends that the Security Council send a multidimensional peacekeeping force to Ivory Coast, at the condition that the parties carry out their existing peace agreement, maintain a unitary government and disband disruptive militant groups. The timetable coincide with the termination of MINUCI's mandate.

UN Security Council Resolution 1479 establishes a UN Mission in Ivory Coast (MINURCI) overseeing the enforcement of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement as well as complementing the operation of French and ECOWAS forces.

UN Security Council Resolution 1464 endorses the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement and calls on all Ivorian political forces to "implement it fully and without delay."

At the invitation of France, the Ivorian Government and the then-rebellious New Forces welcomed a cease-fire, reached agreement on a timetable for elections, foresaw the creation of a government of national reconciliation and called on France, ECOWAS and the international community to back the process.

Militia fighters in the Ivory Coast have agreed to swap their weapons for $1000 grants as part of a disarmament plan to boost chances of elections in October. In a peace process frustrated by endless political arguments and sporadic violence, the handover of arms offers a rare glimmer of hope. The government hopes that the $1000 grants, designated for farming support or market investment, will also reintegrate the former guerillas into society. In addition to the money, they will receive identification, new clothes and advice on their future plans. (Reuters)

The UN has run into difficulty in implementing its plan of issuing identity papers to the 3.5 million undocumented Ivorians ahead of the elections scheduled for October. Delays and allegations of fraud threaten to undermine the effort to remove one of the Ivory Coast conflict's most sensitive issues. The question of who is a "pure" Ivorian was behind the 2002 civil war and international observers see its resolution as vital for the elections to succeed. (Reuters)

This Pambazuka article argues that the example of East Timor provides important lessons for the UN in its efforts at conflict resolution and restoring democratic governance in countries crippled with conflict. Much greater international attention of the Ivory Coast is necessary to allow the UN to help secure peace and strengthen the state's institutions. But without the willingness of powerful states to commit the necessary funds and support to the new UN Peacebuilding Commission, the peace building and state strengthening so desperately needed in the Ivory Coast will fail.

With less than four months to go before elections in the Ivory Coast, the failure of the various civil war factions to make concessions has thrown the chances of a free and fair poll into jeopardy. Despite the success of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in persuading all parties to commit to disarmament by the end of July, analysts predict that the peace plan's deadline for elections will have to be extended. They argue that overcoming the current impasse comes down to how much the Ivorians' desire peace and how willing their leaders are to compromise to make elections happen. (Reuters)

This Inter Press Service article highlights the problems caused by the huge influx of small arms into the Ivory Coast. The availability and easy access to these guns has not only contributed to the conflict between the rebels in the north and the government forces in the south of the country but has spread to other parts of society, taking a toll in local disputes.

Since Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny took office in late 2005 under a UN-backed plan, tensions have decreased in Ivory Coast. For the first time since war erupted in 2002, Banny brought President Laurent Gbagbo and leaders of the armed and political opposition face-to-face on Ivorian soil at a meeting to discuss the peace process. But Banny's greatest challenge lies ahead: organizing national elections by October 2006. Analysts doubt that the main players will stay united, as "all of them will contest the elections […] if they are not sure that they will win." (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

The five key players in Ivory Coast's conflict renewed their commitment to peace efforts after holding their first face-to-face talks on Ivorian soil since war broke out in 2002. Although the leaders did not give a clear timetable for disarmament or set a date for presidential elections, interim Prime Minister Charles Banny reiterated the country's commitment to the peace plan outlined in Security Council Resolution 1633 in late 2005. The leaders also agreed to try to meet frequently "to discuss the peace process and ensure a peaceful political climate." (Reuters)

Why has the UN managed to carry out successful elections in Liberia but failed in neighboring Ivory Coast? A diplomat based in Abidjan explains that unlike Liberia - whose state structures had collapsed when the peacekeeping forces stepped in - the rebels and the government in Ivory Coast, who "make money" from the civil war, show little desire to resolve the conflict. The head of the UN mission in Liberia also points out that the UN presence in Ivory Coast is relatively small compared to Liberia and the disarmament program, much weaker. (openDemocracy)

President Laurent Gbagbo and his Young Patriots supporters exacerbate ethnic divisions between the southern and northern regions of Ivory Coast by using the concept of "Ivoirité," or Ivorianness. Under this concept, northern Ivorians are not considered "real" Ivorian citizens due to the region's geographical proximity and cultural links to countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea. Some experts believe that unless the UN resolves the issue of Ivoirité before implementing the African Union peace plan, "the conflict will continue."(Christian Science Monitor)

Anti-UN protests erupted in the Ivorian capital of Abidjan after a UN-backed working group recommended disbanding the parliament dominated by President Laurent Gbagbo supporters. Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front party accused the UN of carrying out a "constitutional coup d'état" and called for the withdrawal of the UN peacekeepers stationed in the country.(Reuters)

In an effort to stop the illegal exploitation of natural resources, France drafted a Security Council resolution for a diamond embargo on Ivory Coast. The illicit traffic of diamonds in the West African country is suspected to fund separatist rebels in northern Ivory Coast. The French Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere suggested that an embargo would "help the peace process to go forward." (Reuters)

Ivory Coast's President Laurent Gbagbo and New Forces rebels agreed on a new prime minister to guide the country towards presidential elections by October 2006. The African Union peace plan, endorsed by the UN Security Council, gives new Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny full executive powers over security, defense and electoral matters. The opposition disputes the extent of Banny's executive powers, arguing that President Gbagbo is reduced to "a figurehead president." (Reuters)

In thousands of villages in western Ivory Coast, indigenous tribes and newer settler groups clash violently over cocoa land. Although government troops and UN peacekeepers monitor Ivory Coast's cocoa belt, a UN human rights expert said the violence "raised the risk of widespread conflict." (Newsday)

Making it Work: Why the Kimberley Process Must Do More to Stop Conflict Diamonds (November 15, 2005)

The Ivorian government recruits child soldiers who fought in Liberia's civil war by offering them up to $400 to fight on behalf of Ivory Coast. Human Rights Watch urges the UN Sanctions Committee to immediately activate travel and economic sanctions against individuals identified as responsible for the recruitment and use of child soldiers, pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1572.

The Security Council approved African Union initiatives to delay Ivory Coast's presidential election and allow Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo to stay in office for another year with limited powers. Ivorian rebels and opposition groups believe President Gbagbo should step down when his term ends in November 2005, but Council diplomats fear that the West African country would slip into political crisis. (Voice of America)

According to UN experts, revenue from illegal cocoa, cotton and diamonds helps fund military activities of rebel groups in Ivory Coast. Millions of dollars of rough diamonds are mined and exported in spite of a government ban on the trade, fueling conflicts and unrest in neighboring Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Reuters)

The African Union (AU) has decided to form an International Working Group (IWG), which will evaluate, monitor and follow-up on the developments of the peace process in Ivory Coast. The IWG will be monitored by the Foreign Minister of Nigeria, and will be composed of high ranking officials of African and European governments, the AU, the UN, and international organizations such as the World Bank and the IMF. (Daily Monitor -Addis Ababa)

The author of this ZNet article argues that the UN peacekeeping force in Ivory Coast (UNOCI), encumbered from pursuing its basic mandate of protecting civilians and disarming the militia combatants, has become nearly irrelevant. She believes that UNOCI should take control of the northern half of the country from the New Forces and even considers an all-out military assault as a last resort solution.

"The political crisis in Cí´te d'Ivoire is a classic example of a mediation process gone wrong," writes Business Day. Since the aborted coup in September 2002, Ivory Coast has been in a state of political chaos. Mediation teams have tried to ease tension to no avail. "Ultimately, as long as Ivorian leaders fail to negotiate in good faith, peace will continue to escape Cí´te d'Ivoire." The only way out of this conflict is "if the UN takes up its responsibilities to organize elections."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan declared that elections in Ivory Coast will not take place as scheduled on October 30, 2005 because the political leaders and parties did not collaborate with the electoral commission. He warned that in absence of cooperation, the UN would impose sanctions: "Sooner or later the UN Security Council is obliged to act." (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Crushing hopes of a peaceful election process, rebels in Ivory Coast have announced they will not accept the October 30 elections and instead will use force against President Laurent Gbagbo if he does not leave office by then. The New Forces rebels have turned against mediation efforts as well, citing concerns that South African mediator Thabo Mbeki has sold arms to the Ivorian government. Meanwhile, the government has refused to respond until Mbeki addresses the UN Security Council at the end of August. (Voice of America)

UN peacekeepers in Ivory Coast face increasing resistance from civilians who want the international community out, reports Integrated Regional Information Networks. Although a spokesperson for UN Operation in Ivory Coast (UNOCI) says local authorities want peacekeepers there, government forces are behind some of the resistance as well. The tension fuels uncertainty about whether Ivory Coast will follow through with its fall presidential elections and "escape a devastating cycle of conflict."

Diplomats affirm that the legal reforms signed by Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo meet requirements set by the rebels in the June 2005 peace deal. However, this rare positive assessment follows repeated statements from the opposition that rebels will not disarm because the reforms still fail to grant some immigrants their rightful Ivorian citizenship. The incongruity between government and rebel statments will likely push back the disarmament timetable and fall presidential elections yet again. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

As Ivory Coast's presidential elections approach on October 30, 2005, more inhabitants are asking "Who is Ivorian? And who has the right to be?" And in a country with an estimated 40% migrant population, the issue continues to fuel conflict. The April 2005 peace accords mandate that the government resolves nationality laws by July 15—yet President Laurent Gbagbo will likely not sign them. The risk, however, is that officials may vote for the laws "but nobody will enforce them," as one "intensely nationalistic" parliament member continues to argue: "Ivory Coast belongs to Ivorians, not foreigners." (Independent Online, South Africa)

For the first time in three years, rebel commanders and government officials in Ivory Coast agreed to all stipulations for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process. The Yamoussoukro accord follows earlier agreements and calls for the signing of political reforms by Ivorian President Gbagbo before mid-July. Critics and proponents alike warn that the timeline is "extremely tight" and that ongoing violence could easily disrupt the fragile peace. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

The Ivory Coast government, government-backed militias and opposing rebels made renewed efforts towards peace with an August 20 deadline for militia disarmament. If the government militias disarm and Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo revises election legislation, rebel leaders said they would lay down weapons. But several earlier agreements have collapsed. This time, the parties exchanged accusations after the talks ended, so observers are concerned that this round will likely fail as well. (Reuters)

The UN Security Council has approved adding 850 peacekeepers to the 6,000-strong Ivory Coast force and extended the UN peacekeeping mandate (UNOCI) until January 24, 2006. But head of UNOCI Pierre Schori, who asked the Council for 2,000 soldiers, fears that the peacekeeping force is not large enough to quell violence in different areas of the country simultaneously. Meanwhile, the start of disarmament—scheduled for June 27—seems unlikely unless South African President Thabo Mbeki can "breathe fresh life into the flagging peace process." (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

According to this report, competition for control of cocoa plantations between the indigenous Guere and the northern Dioula perpetuates the ethnic violence in western Ivory Coast. The area remains "lawless" despite the presence of UN peacekeepers and French troops, who have "ceded their military camp in town to the UN amid a wave of anti-French feeling." As a local from Guitrozon, a village destroyed in ethnic revenge killings says, "land is the problem…and as long as this is not solved…attacks will continue." (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Despite escalating violence in Ivory Coast, the UN Security Council has again delayed granting a permanent extension to its peacekeeping mission in the West African country. Instead, the Council extended the troops' mandate for a mere three weeks, until June 24, 2005. Observers say that "more UN peacekeepers are sorely needed" in Ivory Coast, and criticize the Security Council for not stalling on the issue. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

As the Security Council needs to renew the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast (UNOCI), discussions are taking place about the size, composition and mandate of the force. Supporters of Ivory Coast's President Laurent Gbagbo accuse Paris of siding with the rebels and request French troops to leave the former colony. But UN envoy in Ivory Coast Pierre Schori contests and argues French forces' participation in UNOCI is necessary to ensure security ahead of upcoming elections in October 2005. (Reuters)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) warns that the UN must send more troops to Ivory Coast if it wants to safeguard the peace deal and avoid further human rights abuses. HRW also called on the Security Council to impose sanctions targeted at human rights violators specifically, underlining that the travel ban and economic sanctions imposed in November 2004 sends a message of impunity to perpetrators. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan asked the Council for additional troops in December 2004, but according to HRW, the US opposed the request citing budget reasons. (AlertNet)

Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has decided to let opposition leader Alassane Ouattara stand in the October 2005 elections. The move marks an essential step in solidifying the Pretoria peace agreement, under which both sides pledged to end all military operations. Observers note that Ouattara's exclusion from the 2000 polls was one of the main causes for war between the northern-based New Forces and supporters of Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front. (AlertNet)

Diplomats in West Africa have cautioned against premature optimism about the announced end of hostilities between rebels and government supporters in Ivory Coast. The Ivorian constitution has in the past prevented opposition leader Alassane Ouattara from standing for election, stating that both the presidential candidate's parents must be Ivorian. Until President Laurent Gbagbo agrees to amend the clause, implementation of the peace accord remains unlikely. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Negotiations between Ivory Coast's northern-based New Forces and President Laurent Gbagbo's forces have led to "an immediate and final cessation of all hostilities and the end of the war throughout the national territory." Chief negotiator and South African President Thabo Mbeki has said he will consult with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and African Union President Olesegun Obasanjo on holding presidential elections in the country in 2005. Rebel forces will meet with the Ivorian army and discuss plans to form a national force. After their withdrawal from the government in 2004, the New Forces have now "agreed to return to a government of national reconciliation." (AlertNet)

This Le Monde diplomatique article sharply criticizes France for its role in Ivory Coast's war and highlights the country's interests in its former colony. Since Ivorian independence in 1960, France has maintained a tight hold on the country's wealth, using one-sided contracts to repatriate 75 percent of the wealth generated there. A strong French military presence has enabled the former colonizer to install regimes favorable to Paris's interests. The author deplores the lack of reaction to the "almost funny" French government line, deploying 3,800 French soldiers to West Africa "with the ethical purpose of preventing a bunch of machete-waving lunatics from dismembering their own country."

Deputy Head of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Abou Moussa has announced that UNMIL and the UN mission in Ivory Coast (UNOCI) are trying to track down recruiters of former combatants in Liberia. Moussa reported that ex-combatants have been crossing the border into Ivory Coast to join armed groups on both sides, leading to a significant increase in violence in the west of the country, near the Liberian border. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

After the acting head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast Alan Doss and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned the Security Council that rebels were prepared for a prolonged conflict, Annan called for an extension of the mission's mandate for a further 12 months. But France has suggested the Council extend the mission for no longer than a month, hoping that a peace summit in Pretoria led by South African President Thabo Mbeki will yield a breakthrough in negotiations between the Northern-based rebels and President Laurent Gbagbo. Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front has formally urged France to pull out of Ivory Coast and has accused the veto-wielding nation of supporting the rebels. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Reporting to the Security Council, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed his concern over the ever-increasing possibility of renewed civil war in Ivory Coast. Annan said the 6,000-strong UN force is under enormous pressure. He called for the deployment of an additional 1,200 peacekeepers, totaling the amount of international French and UN peacekeepers to 11,000. The Secretary General further warned that delaying the fall 2005 elections could produce "a major crisis of confidence and […] further undermine the country's stability." (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Following pro-government militia attacks on rebel-held western Ivory Coast, a New Forces rebel spokesman said President Laurent Gbagbo has "definitively buried all the mediation efforts of the African Union and the international community." The New Forces rebels have refused to disarm until Gbagbo implements political reforms outlined in a 2003 peace agreement, and with renewed fighting, the fragile peace process could easily derail. (Reuters)

At a meeting between UN peacekeeping commanders in Dakar, head of the UN mission in Ivory Coast General Abdoulaye Fall said the mission's mandate "had evolved to go beyond the observation of a ceasefire" and called for "reinforcement of [his] capacities." A Security Council resolution allowed UN troops to enforce a UN-imposed arms embargo, but a military adviser at the UN added that the tightening of an arms ban complicates peacekeepers' work. (Reuters)

By bombing the rebel-held north of Ivory Coast, President Laurent Gbagbo undermined the French-brokered Linas-Marcoussis agreement between rebels, Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front and the parliamentary opposition. Rebel leaders have urged the UN to take measures against Gbagbo, who refuses to respect the ceasefire. As French and UN troops try to prevent a resumption of civil war, northern Ivorians face poverty and neglect as their economy collapses. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

As violence escalates and local militias terrorize the population, the UN mission in Ivory Coast urges the Ivorian government to disarm these groups in order to safeguard the ceasefire. The surge in violent action follows the strengthening of a UN arms embargo on the country, which the Security Council imposed in hopes of preventing Ivory Coast from sliding back into civil war. To oversee the embargo, the Council has authorized peacekeepers to search military installations without advance warning. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

At a UN press conference, Ivorian UN Ambassador Philippe Djangone-Bi questioned France's role in Security Council efforts to bring an end to the crisis in Ivory Coast and criticized the independent status of French UN peacekeepers in the country. Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo commented that the French "have an interest in retaining their role as the hegemonic power over their former colonies" and has accused France of supporting the rebels. France led the way in imposing a UN arms embargo on Ivory Coast and Djangone-Bi fears Paris will call for economic sanctions in order to further isolate the country. (Inter Press Service)

In its report on human rights abuses in Ivory Coast, the UN has drawn up a blacklist of people who could face trial for war crimes committed during the country's two and a half year old civil war. The UN will not publish the list, which reportedly includes Presidential wife Simone Gbagbo and Head of the New Forces rebel movement Guillaume Soro. Ivory Coast's UN Ambassador Philippe Djangone Bi dismissed the blacklist as "a well prepared orchestration," conveniently announced a day before the UN would adopt a resolution aimed at reinforcing the arms embargo. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Rebels in northern Ivory Coast announce they will prevent cotton exports to the south of the country, arguing the Ivorian government uses the revenue to prepare for a civil war. According to the rebels, the UN decision to allow Ivorian military helicopters to fly again makes "a mockery" of a previous arms embargo. The decision reinforces rebels' determination to prevent President Laurent Gbagbo from seizing the cotton export proceeds and "repairing his planes to come and kill our relatives." (Reuters)

Security Council sources say that the Council's sanction committee on Ivory Coast will consider imposing sanctions on "those accused of committing human rights violations and stoking up hatred in the media." Council members, who have already called upon neighboring states to prevent the sale of arms to the country, will also discuss sending an additional 1200 UN peacekeepers to Ivory Coast. The problematic implementation of the 2003 peace deal in Ivory Coast will likely delay elections, planned for October 2005. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

At the African Union's Peace and Security Council's summit in Gabon, African leaders discussed the precarious situation in Ivory Coast and urged the UN Security Council to impose further sanctions on the country. Abidjan Newspapers accused Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo of fueling tensions and "preparing for imminent resumption of hostilities." (Intergrated Regional Information Networks)

In the course of several years, Ivorian governments have exacerbated ethnic tension, and violence continues despite a UN-imposed arms embargo. French troops and political pressure have managed to stave off a civil war, but with anti-French sentiment rife, the country needs a neutral body to oversee elections and prevent conflict. This Pambazuka piece looks into how the international community can intervene in the conflict in Ivory Coast and offers an analysis of the involved parties, all of which the author considers "unfit to rule."

As the crisis in the Ivory Coast worsens, many observers draw parallels with the situation in Rwanda leading up to the disastrous genocide. With the Ivorian army in shambles, militant "young patriots" with close ties to President Laurent Gbagbo have incited violent racist crime, aimed in particular at Muslims in the north of the country. According to critics, the two-faced Ivorian government seeks to appease the international community with pledges to respect a peace deal, while encouraging the formation of militias of extreme patriots. (Worldpress.org)

The precarious situation in Ivory Coast has severely reduced the capability of humanitarian NGOs at a time when the country needs them most. Representatives of Save the Children UK say the UN's integrated peacekeeping-humanitarianism approach, where the senior humanitarian official reports directly to peacekeeping coordinators, compromises the impartiality of aid workers. The authors hope the UN will reconsider integrated missions with the responses of independent NGOs in mind as well. (AlertNet)

The Security Council has imposed a thirteen-month arms embargo on Ivory Coast with possible future sanctions against leaders. The peace process, however, remains deadlocked. President Laurent Gbagbo insists the rebels disarm but rebels want Gbagbo out before returning to the peace process. Analysts predict the embargo will not stop the trade in small arms across Ivory Coast's porous borders and some diplomats say ONUCI may have to implement disarmament by force. African leaders fear that violence in Ivory Coast will destabilize the entire West African region, and have been working hard to pursue a diplomatic solution. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

This Foreign Policy in Focus article examines the ceasefire violations and subsequent unrest in Ivory Coast, and the power struggles between rebels, France, and the Ivorian government. The author calls on the UN and the international community to recognize that "France is no longer viewed as a neutral peacebroker" and to take steps to disarm the rebels, reunify the country under one leader, and promote governmental reforms.

French troops currently make up 40 percent of the 6,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission in Cote D'Ivoire (UNOCI). French forces, however, have the power to act independently and do not fall under UNOCI's military command. Supporters of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo have rioted against the French presence and question the former colonial power's real motives, pointing to its political, economic and military interests in the country. Some observers say France has no place in a UN peacekeeping mission that should reflect principles of "neutrality and impartiality." (Inter Press Service)

Ivorian government warplanes struck a French army position, killing nine French soldiers and sparking attacks on French citizens by angry mobs. France has increased troop numbers and destroyed the country's combat aircraft, causing government supporters to accuse France of supporting rebel forces. Approximately 5,000 French troops are on the ground as well as 6,240 UN peacekeepers. The Security Council condemned the government attacks, bolstered the authority of peacekeepers and discussed possible penalties against the perpetrators. (New York Times)

The Ivory Coast government has bombed two rebel towns in the guerilla-held north, ending a yearlong ceasefire and a power-sharing deal between rebels and the government. The UN Security Council urged the parties to "fully respect" the ceasefire, but the country could slip back into civil war. (New York Times)

Rebels refused to partake in the October 15, 2004 disarmament deadline in the Ivory Coast, saying they will not disarm until President Laurent Gbago implements the reforms stipulated in the Linas-Marcoussis peace agreement. In spite of the presence of 10,000 foreign peacekeepers, the international community appears incapable of pushing the deadlocked peace process forward. Observers say the outcome of the crisis will inevitably involve "the men with guns." (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

The peace process in Ivory Coast is stalled, as President Laurent Gbagbo refuses to implement political reform and the rebel movement in the north is unlikely to disarm. Elections scheduled for October 2005 look increasingly shaky, but the view among the rival factions, the UN, and independent observers is that "there is still time to prepare for meaningful elections next year." (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Two days after various rebel groups signed a deal to rejoin Ivory Coast's power sharing government, UN investigators unearthed three mass graves, containing at least 99 bodies, in the northern town of Korhogo. In June, Korhogo was the site of fighting between rival rebel groups, including the New Forces. (BBC)

At a summit in Ghana, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called on rival groups in Ivory Coast to return to a power-sharing government, lay out a schedule for disarmament and institute neccessary political reforms. Many diplomats view the summit as the last chance to salvage the French-brokered Linas-Marcoussis peace accord and prevent Cote d'Ivoire from returning to civil war. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Warring parties in the Ivory Coast have made no substantial progress in implementing the crucial Linas-Marcoussis Accords. The key contentious issues remain unresolved, such as eligibility for elections, disarmament and impunity. The International Crisis Group argues that government officialsand businessmen "gain from the current situation of neither peace nor war" and therefore have little incentive to resolve the conflict.

A UN delegation to West Africa warned Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo that the Security Council might impose sanctions on the government and the rebel forces if the peace process remains stalled. Possible sanctions include travel bans and freezing of financial accounts. (Vanguard)

The Crisis in Ivory Coast (June 24, 2004)

The Ivory Coast peace process has shown no progress as the government and the opposition groups refuse to honor the peace agreement. Although sporadic violence between warring factions still takes place throughout the country, the presence of French soldiers and UN peacekeepers are preventing a renewed outbreak of civil war. (Voice of America)

In response to an appeal by pro-government supporters that the UN begin the disarmament campaign, the UN Mission in Ivory Coast said the responsibility to disarm rebels lies primarily with the Ivorian government, with the UN taking only a supporting role. (Voice of America)

Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno has expressed concern over the worsening political situation in Ivory Coast, and has warned that the Security Council will not rule out the possibility of sanctions if the peace process between the government and the opposition continues to show no progress. (Reuters)

In assessing the long-term peace prospect in Ivory Coast, the UN urges dialogue between the government and its opponents as well as economic and social development to resolve the country's problems. (UN News Centre)

In a cautious statement, the UN Security Council has condemned human rights abuses in Ivory Coast but avoided blaming the government for the deaths of 120 demonstrators in the deadly March protest. The Council has urged the formation of an international commission to investigate human rights violations which dated back to the failed coup attempt in September 2002. (Reuters)

The UN Peacekeeping Force in Ivory Coast faces increasing hostilities, as warring parties perceive them as a party to the conflict rather than a neutral force. Kojo Bedu-Addo, a senior Africa analyst, argues that for the short-term the "only realistic objective" for the UN is to control violence and to oversee the status quo, rather than engage in building peace or disarming fighters. (Alertnet)

The head of the Ivorian ruling party, Pascal Affi Nguessan, rejected the UN report on the investigation of the deadly March demonstration, and called it a "compilation of partisan and dishonest rumors." (Voice of America)

The Ivorian government has accused foreign media, particularly French reporters, of attempting to undermine the "cohesion within the state apparatus" by publishing details of a UN report on the deadly March protest prior to its official release. (Reuters)

Rejecting the Ivorian government's death-toll estimation, the UN Human Rights Commission reported that government forces killed at least 120 demonstrators in the March protest. The Commission criticized the Ivorian government for committing "massive human rights violations" against the demonstrators. (BBC)

The UN Security Council warned that it would take actions against individuals, whose activities hinder the full implementation of the peace agreement between the Ivorian Government and the opposition. The Council reiterated that the peace deal, known as the Linas-Marcoussis agreement, is "the only possible solution to the crisis." (UN News Centre)

Guillaume Soro, the leader of the Ivorian rebel group New Forces, has declared that secession may be a solution to the long-ravaged conflict in the country. "Everyone should know that faced with the threat of a return to civil war, which could lead to the massacre of millions, we prefer secession," argues Soro. (Associated Press)

UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guehenno, has appealed to Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and the rebels and opposition parties to set aside pre-conditions for resuming cooperation, and to fully implement the Linas-Marcoussis peace agreement without further delay. (UN Integrated Regional Information Network)

Ivory Coast President, Laurent Gbagbo, met with the UN commission to help with the investigation into a deadly clash between the military and civilians during a demonstration in March. Opposition parties and rebel groups claim that an investigation into "Bloody Thursday" is a pre-condition for a renewed peace talk with the President. (Voice of America)

The UN has appointed an expert team to investigate alleged abuses by the Ivorian government against demonstrators in the March protest. Opposition parties and human-rights NGOs claim that at least 200 people were killed in the street clashes and that the bodies were buried in secret mass graves. (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks)

This article highlights the danger that the conflict in the Ivory Coast has posed for other countries in West Africa and urges the international community to pay due attention to the recent political uprising in the country. (International Herald Tribune)

A group bringing together Cote d'Ivoire's rebel movement and four main opposition parties urged the United Nations to establish an international tribunal investigating human rights violations committed in the country since 2000. NGOs back the initiative, underlining the importance of investigations of violations by government as well as rebel forces. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

Human Rights Watch accuses Ivorian state security forces of using "excessive force" during an opposition protest march. The demonstrators, an alliance of leading Ivorian opposition parties and former rebel forces, denounced the government for failing to fully implement the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.

This BBC article looks at what has triggered the violence and the xenophobia in Ivory Coast and assesses the likelihood of enforcement of a peace deal between the rebels and the national army.

This BBC article analyzes the reasons for the failure of the disarmament program in Ivory Coast, including the government's delay in resolving major political issues such as nationality and land ownership, and the continuous power struggle among politicians.

The UN Security Council has unanimously approved the deployment of about 6,000 peacekeepers to Ivory Coast to supervise the disarmament of rebel forces and help prepare for the presidential election. One rebel group has warned that its disarmament is conditional on a "free and transparent election" and insists that it would only disarm if the government implements its long-promised political reform. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)

After initially opposing the deployment of UN peacekeepers to war-ravaged Ivory Coast, the US has reversed its decision and asked Congress for approval. In light of this, the current Security Council president, Wang Guangya, has expressed hope that the UN will approve a peacekeeping force before the end of the month, when the mandate of the current UN mission and the French and African peacekeepers expires. (Associated Press)

Following UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's recommendations, Paris is pressing the Security Council to create a peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast. Washington opposes the idea because of its costs, arguing that the UN is already considering sending missions to Liberia, Sudan and Burundi. (Reuters)

The Institute for Development Studies discusses how Ivory Coast is facing the prospect of renewed civil war unless the fragile French-brokered peace agreement holds. Some actors question the Paris accords, accusing France of having an "interest" in overthrowing Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo.

Africa Recovery gives a background of the crisis, and follows the different UN initiatives in Ivory Coast, among which the UN Mission in Ivory Coast (MINUCI) created to help monitor and assist in implementing the peace accords.

As Europe welcomed the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement as a "successful peace process," optimism was not so high in Africa, where critics regreted that "the continent had to resort to France to solve the crisis in Ivory Coast."(Afrol)

Paris is increasing its presence in Ivory Coast with the announced goal of helping to enforce a shaky cease-fire between the Ivorian army and rebel forces. The Washington Post accuses France of repeatedly shifting its mission, from evacuation of French civilians, to logistical support to the government, and now enforcement of an October 17 cease-fire.