Brussels, 24/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - There is yet another encouraging sign for Côte d'Ivoire under President Ouattara. The EU27 foreign ministers who are to meet in Brussels on Monday 27 February are due to take a decision on easing the sanctions imposed on Côte d'Ivoire in December 2010 and then stepped up successively. The decision will be adopted without debate.
Thus, all visa bans will be lifted except for those on 15 individuals (eight persons designated by the United Nations and seven persons designated by the European Union due to the role they played in hampering the peace and national reconciliation process). In June 2011, the last economic sanctions were lifted (the assets freeze on Aprocanci, the association of Côte d'Ivoire natural rubber producers, SOGEPE, the electricity heritage management company, and RTI, the Ivorian broadcasting company). The arms embargo will remain in application. (AN/transl.jl)