Brussels, 06/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Union decided on Wednesday 6 April to ratchet up the pressure on the Gbagbo camp by adding to the sanctions that have been in place since 5 January. Without discussion, the Council added a further name to the list of 85 people, which includes Laurent Gbagbo himself, targeted by visa bans and freezing of assets in Europe. For all these people, the EU has banned the purchase of bonds and securities and the provision of loans. The aim is to cut off the financial wherewithal of the illegal government of self-proclaimed president Gbagbo. Provision has been made for exemptions to ensure that funds needed for humanitarian purposes are available.
The seriousness of the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, following the clashes, in which heavy arms were used, between supporters of Gbagbo and the forces of democratically elected president Alassane Ouattara, prompted this decision by the Council.
It comes as the fighting has ceased following the combined intervention by the UNOCI and the French Licorne force, and Gbagbo continues to negotiate the conditions of this surrender.
The Council decision was taken to bring EU sanctions into line with UN Security Council Resolution 1975 which listed five persons against whom sanction should be taken. The EU needed to add only one name as the other four were already subject to EU sanctions (list adopted on 4 January and extended on 14 January, see EUROPE 10294 and 10286). The new Council regulation on these sanctions will be published in the Official Journal of the EU, on Thursday 7 April 2011.
On Tuesday 5 April, Catherine Ashton met Jean Ping, President of the Commission of the African Union, and said: “We agreed that Laurent Gbagbo had to step down as the only way out of the current crisis, and that work should now start to promote recovery and reconciliation, under the leadership of the democratically elected President Alassane Ouattara. The European Union and the African Union will co-operate closely in this effort”. (A.N./transl.rt)