Brussels, 03/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - On 23 December, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the international community to support the United Nations operation in Côte d'Ivoire (ONUCI) in the event of deterioration of the situation in the country. His call was addressed in particular to France. French forces deployed on the ground in support of the ONUCI had their mandate extended until 30 June 2011 by the Security Council. France is calling for coordinated European action. The EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) met twice, on 28 and 29 December, in response to this call. No CSDP action is planned at the moment, apart from logistical support provided by individual EU member states to the ONUCI, coordinated by the EU high representative, whose involvement was sought in a letter sent to Catherine Ashton on 24 December by French Defence Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie.
Ban said in a letter to the UN Security Council on 23 December that Laurent Gbagbo's intention was to suffocate the peace-keeping mission. He said he was concerned at the escalation in violence against the civilian population, against the democratically elected president Alassan Ouattara and against United Nations personnel by forces faithful to self-proclaimed president Gbagbo. Despite the partial lifting of the road block outside the Hôtel du Golf where Ouattara has taken refuge, supplies for the UN forces remain stuck in the port of Abidjan having failed to be granted customs clearance. Suppliers have received orders to cease the provision of all supplies to UN forces, Ban says, expressing his fear that the blockage might be restored and the situation deteriorate. In spite of France's call, at this point, no EU action is planned, most member states preferring mediation by other African nations (see below), fearing that EU intervention might aggravate the situation. Following the call from Ban Ki-moon, the French defence minister requested that the EU high representative become involved in helping to resolve this crisis. “It is my hope that you will be able to play a coordinating role, encouraging member states to contribute and ensuring transparency among EU member states” so that the EU can “assume its crisis management responsibilities,” Alliot-Marie wrote to Ashton. She stated that the additional French means requested by Ban to break the blockade (a helicopter carrier and naval logistical capabilities) will only be deployed if the situation deteriorates and only if they are supplemented by contributions from other EU member states. Thus far, only the Netherlands has decided to divert a warship to Côte d'Ivoire that was initially intended to join the EU naval force off the Somali coast (EU NAVFOR Atalanta).
Following a silence procedure, on 31 December, the Council extended the list of Ivoirian nationals subject to EU travel restrictions. The previous list, agreed on 22 December, was increased from 19 to 59 people (including Gbagbo and his wife) and restrictive measures (visa ban) concern leading figures in Côte d'Ivoire who have refused to place themselves under the authority of the democratically elected president, Alassan Ouattara, says a Council press release. On the basis of a (still awaited) European Commission proposal, the Council is expected to extend the present restrictive measures to include freezing the assets of the self-proclaimed Ivoirian authorities.
The African Union is continuing to try to negotiate a resolution of the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, with a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) taking on this task. Four ECOWAS representatives were expected to arrive in Abidjan on Monday 3 January. ECOWAS, which suspended Côte d'Ivoire at the start of December, called on Gbagbo to hand over power to his rival. The call was repeated on Monday by Sierra Leone Information Minister and government spokesman Ibrahim Ben Kargbo who said that Gbagbo should step down. Before the four ECOWAS emissaries met with the two protagonists in this crisis, Ben Kargbo said that everything was being done to allow Gbagbo to leave peacefully and give up office with dignity. (A.By./transl.rt)