United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire

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Operation in Côte d'Ivoire
AbbreviationUNOCI
Formation4 April 2004
Dissolved30 June 2017
TypePeacekeeping mission
Legal statusAccomplished
Headquarters Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Head
Aïchatou Mindaoudou
Parent organization
United Nations Security Council
Website https://onuci.unmissions.org/en

The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) (French: Opération des Nations Unies en Côte d'Ivoire (ONUCI)) was a UN-NATO peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) whose objective was "to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003" (which aimed to end the Ivorian Civil War). The two main Ivorian parties were the Ivorian Government forces who controlled the south of the country, and the New Forces (former rebels), who controlled the north. The UNOCI mission aimed to control a "zone of confidence" across the centre of the country separating the two parties. The Head of Mission and Special Representative of the Secretary-General was Aïchatou Mindaoudou Souleymane from Niger. She succeeded Bert Koenders from the Netherlands in 2013, who himself succeeded Choi Young-jin from South Korea in 2011. The mission officially ended on 30 June 2017. [1] [2]

Contents

The approved budget for the period July 2016 – June 2017 was $153,046,000. The last UN Security Council Resolution was 2284 (2016). [3]

Mandate

On 27 February 2004, during the First Ivorian Civil War, the United Nations (UN) Security Council adopted Resolution 1528, which authorized UNOCI to take over from the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (MINUCI, French: Mission des Nations unies en Côte d'Ivoire), an existing political mission to Ivory Coast. [4] It had an initial authorised strength of 6,240 uniformed personnel, and was expanded by Resolution 1609 on 24 June 2005 and Resolution 1682 on 2 June 2006. [5]

In February 2006, following an appeal by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the Security Council agreed to strengthen the UNOCI forces by sending a battalion from United Nations Mission in Liberia with 800 soldiers to Ivory Coast. [6] As of November 2006, the mission consisted of about 8,000 uniformed soldiers from a total of 41 countries. They have included, from the Bangladeshi Army, 56th and 57th Battalions, East Bengal Regiment. They were deployed alongside 4,000 French soldiers of the Opération Licorne intervention. [7]

On 29 July 2008, the day before UNOCI's mandate was set to expire, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to extend its mandate to 31 January 2009 so that the peacekeepers could "support the organization of free, open, fair and transparent elections". A presidential election was planned for 2009, after numerous delays arising from postwar issues. [8] UNOCI's mandate was subsequently extended several times, including on 31 October 2008, [9] 31 January 2010, [10] 27 May 2010, [11] 20 December 2010, [12] and most recently on 27 July 2011. [13]

History

In January 2006, supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo attacked the base of the United Nations peacekeepers after the Ivorian Popular Front withdrew from the Ivorian Civil War peace process. About 1,000 protesters invaded the UN base at Guiglo. [14]

In the aftermath of the 2010 presidential election, incumbent president Gbagbo said UNOCI troops should leave the country. However, the UN refused to do so, upon which Gbagbo's aides then said UN troops would be treated as "rebels" should they stay in the country, where they are protecting the internationally recognised though domestically disputed winner of the election. [15]

On 30 March United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975 was issued which, in particular, urged all Ivorian parties to respect the will of the people and the election of Alassane Ouattara as President of Ivory Coast, as recognised by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the rest of the international community and reiterated that UNOCI could use "all necessary measures" in its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of attack.

Heavy fighting broke out on 31 March 2011 as forces of Alassane Ouattara advanced on Abidjan from several directions. The United Nations peacekeepers took control of Abidjan's airport when Gbagbo's forces abandoned it and United Nations forces were also reported to be carrying out protective security operations in the city. The UN peacekeeping mission said its headquarters were fired on by Gbabgo's special forces on 31 March, and returned fire in an exchange lasting about three hours. UN convoys have also come under attack by Gbagbo loyalists four times since 31 March, with three peacekeepers injured in one of the attacks. The peacekeepers had exchanged fire with Gbagbo loyalists in several parts of the city. [16]

On 4 April 2011 UN and French helicopters also began firing on pro-Gbagbo military installations, a French military spokesman said the attacks were aimed at heavy artillery and armoured vehicles. [17] Eyewitnesses reported seeing two UN Mi-24P attack helicopters firing missiles at the Akouédo military camp in Abidjan. [18] UN helicopters were flown by Ukrainian Ground Forces crews seconded to the United Nations. [19] The attacks sparked protests by a Gbagbo spokesperson, who said that such actions were "illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable." [20] UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon defended the actions, however, saying that "the [UN] mission has taken this action in self-defence and to protect civilians." [20] He noted that Gbagbo's forces had fired on United Nations patrols and attacked the organization's headquarters in Abidjan "with heavy-caliber sniper fire as well as mortars and rocket-propelled grenades", wounding four peacekeepers. [17] [20] Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia intended to look into the legitimacy of the use of force by UN peacekeepers. The position of the Russian government was that any foreign interference would only lead to increasing violence. [21]

On 9 April, pro-Gbagbo forces were reported to have fired on the Golf Hotel, where Ouattara was located. [22] The attackers reportedly used both sniper rifles and mortars; in response, UN peacekeepers fired on them. [22] The following day, United Nations and French forces carried out further air strikes against Gbagbo's remaining heavy weapons, using Mi-24 and Aérospatiale Gazelle attack helicopters. The attack was reported to have caused heavy damage to the presidential palace. [23]

On 11 April, UN forces stormed Gbagbo's residence and arrested him. The final assault was assisted by French forces using helicopters and armoured vehicles, although the actual capture was made by Ouattara's troops. Gbagbo, his wife, son and about 50 members of his entourage were captured unharmed and were taken to the Golf Hotel, Ouattara's headquarters, where they were placed under United Nations guard. [24] [25] [26]

Casualties

Up until 31 December 2016, a total of 143 UN peacekeeping troops had died. [27]

On 8 June 2012, seven Niger soldiers, eight locals and one or two Ivorian soldiers were killed in an attack near the village of Taï in the southwestern region of the country. As a result of the attack, thousands of villagers fled from the area. [28] The deaths were suspected to have occurred as a result of a border-crossing ambush by a Liberian militia. [29] Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon said he was "saddened and outraged" by the deaths. Ban urged the Ivorian government to "identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable." [30] Ivorian Defense minister Paul Koffi Koffi said that soldiers "must go to the other side of the border to establish a security zone." [31] Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown said that president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had ordered the immediate deployment of forces to the border in response to the attack. [32]

Forces

On 30 April 2012 the force comprised 10,954 total uniformed personnel, including 9,404 troops, 200 military observers, 1,350 police, 400 international civilian personnel, 758 local staff and 290 United Nations Volunteers. The force commander was Major-General Hafiz Masroor Ahmed from Pakistan. The police commissioner was Major-General Jean Marie Bourry from France.

On 31 March 2017 the mission comprised 17 uniformed personnel, including 7 troops and 10 police as well as 689 civilian personnel.

Force commanders

Sexual abuse allegations

In July 2007, the UN suspended a Moroccan contingent from UNOCI in order to investigate allegations of widespread sexual abuse of Ivorian civilians by peacekeepers. [35] In September 2011, 16 Beninese peacekeepers, including ten commanders, were barred from UN service following an investigation into allegations that they had traded food for sex with minors in Toulépleu. [36] A UN spokesman said that UN staff in Ivory Coast were accused of sexual abuse on 42 occasions between 2007 and mid-2011, and that sixteen of those cases allegedly involved minors. [36]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurent Gbagbo</span> President of Côte dIvoire from 2000 to 2011

Koudou Laurent Gbagbo is an Ivorian politician who was the president of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian, Gbagbo was imprisoned in the early 1970s and again in the early 1990s, and he lived in exile in France during much of the 1980s as a result of his union activism. Gbagbo founded the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) in 1982 and ran unsuccessfully for president against Félix Houphouët-Boigny at the start of multi-party politics in 1990. He won a seat in the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire in 1990.

The First Ivorian Civil War was a civil conflict in the Ivory Coast that began with a military rebellion on 19 September 2002 and ended with a peace agreement on 4 March 2007. The conflict pitted the government of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo against a domestic insurgency led by the New Forces of Ivory Coast. Following the war, a second civil war (2010–2011) would begin over the results of the 2010 Ivorian presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opération Licorne</span> Military operation in Côte dIvoire

Opération Licorne was a French Armed Forces peacekeeping operation in support of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire. The French forces had been stationed in the country since shortly after the outbreak of the Ivorian Civil War. The troops' main mission was to support the United Nations peacekeeping mission and to ensure the security of French and foreign nationals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 French–Ivorian clashes</span>

In 2004, an armed conflict took place between French and Côte d'Ivoire forces. On 6 November 2004, two Ivorian Air force Su-25 attack fighters launched an air attack on French peacekeepers in the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire who were stationed there as part of Opération Licorne (Unicorn), the French military operation in support of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI). French military forces subsequently clashed with Ivorian troops and government-loyal mobs, destroying almost the entire Ivorian Air Force. Those incidents were followed by massive anti-French protests in Côte d'Ivoire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Ivorian presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Ivory Coast in 2010. The first round was held on 31 October, and a second round, in which President Laurent Gbagbo faced opposition leader Alassane Ouattara, was held on 28 November 2010. Originally scheduled to be held in 2005, the vote was delayed several times due to the Ivorian Civil War and difficulties involved in the organization and preparation of the elections. A peace agreement between the government and the former rebel New Forces was signed on 4 March 2007, and in late April 2009, it was announced that the elections would be held by 6 December 2009, and that the date would be announced shortly. On 15 May 2009, the date was announced to be 29 November 2009. On 11 November, the elections were postponed again due to delays in the electoral roll. It was announced on 3 December 2009 to be held in late February or early March 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1528</span> 2004 resolution on Côte dIvoire

United Nations Security Council resolution 1528, adopted unanimously on 27 February 2004, after recalling resolutions 1464 (2003), 1479 (2003), 1498 (2003), 1514 (2003) and 1527 (2004) on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, the council established the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) for an initial period of twelve months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010–2011 Ivorian crisis</span>

The 2010–11 Ivorian crisis was a political crisis in Ivory Coast which began after Laurent Gbagbo, the President of Ivory Coast since 2000, was proclaimed the winner of the Ivorian election of 2010, the first election in the country in 10 years. The opposition candidate, Alassane Ouattara, and a number of countries, organisations and leaders worldwide claimed Ouattara had won the election. After months of attempted negotiation and sporadic violence, the crisis entered a decisive stage as Ouattara's forces began a military offensive in which they quickly gained control of most of the country and besieged key targets in Abidjan, the country's largest city. At the time, international organizations reported numerous human rights violations, and the UN undertook its own military action with the stated objective to protect itself and civilians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1962</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2010

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1962, adopted unanimously on December 20, 2010, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, including resolutions 1893 (2009), 1911 (2010), 1924 (2010), 1933 (2010), 1942 (2010), 1946 (2010) and 1951 (2010), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) until June 30, 2011 and urged all Ivorian parties to respect the outcome of the presidential election and the recognition of Alassane Ouattara as president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1967</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2011

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1967, adopted unanimously on January 19, 2011, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, including resolutions 1933 (2010), 1942 (2010), 1946 (2010), 1951 (2010) and 1962 (2010), the Council increased the number of forces in the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) by 2,000. It was the first Security Council resolution adopted in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1968</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2011

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1968, adopted unanimously on February 16, 2011, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, including resolutions 1933 (2010), 1942 (2010), 1946 (2010), 1951 (2010), 1962 (2010) and 1967 (2011), the Council extended the deployment of troops from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) for an additional three months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1609</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2005

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1609 was adopted unanimously on 24 June 2005. After recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, the council extended the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and supporting French forces for a further seven months until 24 January 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Ivorian Civil War</span> Civil War in Ivory Coast from November 2010 to April 2011

The Second Ivorian Civil War broke out in March 2011 when the crisis in Ivory Coast escalated into full-scale military conflict between forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, the President of Ivory Coast since 2000, and supporters of the internationally recognised president-elect Alassane Ouattara. After months of unsuccessful negotiations and sporadic violence between supporters of the two sides, the crisis entered a critical stage as Ouattara's forces seized control of most of the country with the help of the UN, with Gbagbo entrenched in Abidjan, the country's largest city. International organizations have reported numerous instances of human rights violations by both sides, in particular in the city of Duékoué where Ouattara's forces killed hundreds of people. Overall casualties of the war are estimated around 3000. The UN and French forces took military action, with the stated objective to protect their forces and civilians. France's forces arrested Gbagbo at his residence on 11 April 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2011

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975, adopted unanimously on March 30, 2011, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, including resolutions 1572 (2004), 1893 (2009), 1911 (2010), 1924 (2010), 1933 (2010), 1942 (2010), 1946 (2010), 1951 (2010), 1962 (2010), 1967 (2011) and 1968 (2011), the Council demanded that Laurent Gbagbo step down as President and imposed sanctions on him and his close associates.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1981, adopted unanimously on May 13, 2011, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, including resolutions 1933 (2010), 1942 (2010), 1946 (2010), 1951 (2010), 1962 (2010), 1967 (2011), 1968 (2011), 1975 (2011) and 1980 (2011), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) until July 31, 2011 and extended the temporary re-deployment of United Nations troops from Liberia until June 30, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1992</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2011

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1992, adopted unanimously on June 29, 2011, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, including resolutions 1933 (2010), 1942 (2010), 1951 (2010), 1962 (2010), 1967 (2011), 1968 (2011), 1975 (2011), 1980 (2011) and 1981 (2011), the Council extended the temporary re-deployment of United Nations troops and equipment from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) until September 30, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 2000</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2011

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2000, adopted unanimously on July 27, 2011, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, including resolutions 1933 (2010), 1942 (2010), 1951 (2010), 1962 (2010), 1967 (2011), 1968 (2011), 1975 (2011), 1980 (2011), 1981 (2011) and 1992 (2011), and Resolution 1938 (2010) on the situation in Liberia, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) until July 31, 2012.

The following lists events that happened during 2010 in Ivory Coast.

The following lists events that happened during 2011 in Ivory Coast.

This period in the history of Ivory Coast was affected by the end of the 33-year reign of Félix Houphouët-Boigny in 1993, as well as demographic change which had seen the Muslim population rise from 6% in 1922 to 38.6% in 1998, including a majority in the north of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">France–Ivory Coast relations</span> Bilateral relations

France–Ivory Coast relations are the diplomatic relations between the French Republic and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. Both nations are members of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and the United Nations.

References

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