OCHA Situation Report No. 15
Cote d'Ivoire
7 October - 13 November 2003


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Overview

The needs of the population especially in the west, north and buffer zones
are still higher than what humanitarian organisations can provide in terms
of aid. Only a political solution can solve the crisis affecting millions
of people in this country and in the region. The Accra III negotiations of
this week, did not resolve anything towards getting the peace process back
on track. The political impasse risks that the return of the health staff
and public administration is delayed. Moreover, the start of the school
year scheduled for 5th January in the north and the west may be in
jeopardy.

Although there have been positive developments during the period regarding
a growing number of returning displaced people (IDPs), the inter-ethnic
and political conflicts in the country is a concern. There is a fear that
the humanitarian situation could worsen if the serious problems of
protection are not addressed.

The UN Security Council on 13th November unanimously extended the United
Nations mission in Cote d'Ivoire three months and envisaged a possible
boosting of the UN presence there. The Council's President read a
statement stressing "the urgent need to begin reforming land law and
electoral rules, restore public services and the authority of the State
throughout the territory of Côte d'Ivoire, and end the use of mercenaries
and illicit purchase of weapons."

Political Situation & Security

The political situation during the period has been fragile following the
withdrawal of the Forces Nouvelle (FN) Ministers from the reconciliation
government on 23rd September. Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal have spearheaded
a diplomatic initiative to put the Ivorian peace process back on track. To
this end, an extraordinary ECOWAS mini-summit on Cote d'Ivoire (Accra III)
was held on 12th November 2003. The meeting failed to reach consensus on
key issues related to citizenship and landownership rights for immigrants.
A statement was issued urging the UN Security Council to consider
increasing the strength of the ECOWAS mission and transform it into a UN
peacekeeping force.

The period has had numerous incidences of inter-ethnic violence, organised
crime and political demonstrations. The incidences can be highlighted as
follows:

   Localised violence broke out on 10th October in Abidjan when the Young
   Patriots demonstrated against the provision of water and electricity to
   the FN-held north.

   Groups of youth have destroyed opposition national dailies and
   threatened distributors and vendors in the city of San Pedro and the
   Abidjan quarter of Yopougon. A delivery van was burned, and in protest,
   delivery companies suspended their distribution for one day.

   A three-month ban on civil demonstrations was announced on the 16th
   October, halting planned demonstrations both pro- and against the
   Marcoussis Peace Accord.

   Twelve opposition party members were arrested on suspicion of planning
   the assassination of leading figures in the government, but were later
   released.

   A Radio France International veteran journalist was shot and killed on
   Tuesday 20th October in Abidjan by a member of the police force while
   covering a story. The incident was widely seen as a symptom of the
   hatred and aggression showed by extremist elements in Cote d'Ivoire.

   Several hundred Malians and Burkinabe were forced to flee their homes
   in Cote d'Ivoire's cocoa-growing region of Gagnoa after a wave of arson
   attacks and looting. The violence has been particularly extreme in the
   village of Mahinadopa, in the Ouragahio region, where around 500
   Malians reportedly fled as their shacks and houses went up in flames.

   In Korhogo, a large force of armed men tried unsuccessfully to break
   into a branch of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), on
   the night of 26 October (Reported by IRIN). This attempted break-in
   followed a similar attack on the branch of the BCEAO in Man 24 hours
   earlier and Bouake on 25 September.


Humanitarian Situation & Response

1. Coordination

OCHA facilitates coordination among humanitarian actors both centrally in
Abidjan, and through its three field offices in Guiglo, Bouaké and
Yamoussoukro. Weekly coordination meetings are held. Sectoral groups are
encouraged to hold separate coordination meetings and to submit Minutes to
OCHA. In the field, where the sectoral groups include local NGOs with low
implementing capacity, the groups were during the reporting period asked
to submit to OCHA a list of priorities for intervention. OCHA will
subsequently compile the information and seek funding from the government
or international agencies with the aim to support civil society in the
field.

The Cote d'Ivoire Contingency Planning process has started with expected
completion of the contingency plan by 21 November, when OCHA will present
it to the IAHCC meeting. A mission by the Inter Agency Standing Committee
(IASC) is scheduled to take place in Abidjan on 25-26 November.

2. Population movements (refugees, IDPs, returnees)

UNHCR reports that as of 30th October, about 70,000 refugees are
registered in Cote d'Ivoire. Of those, 67,400 are from Liberia. 4,380
Liberians reside in the Nicla refugee camp, 41,000 live in villages along
the Liberian border, and the rest are scattered in Toulepleu, Danane, Bin
Houye, Tabou transit centre and Abidjan transit centre.

In Abidjan, UNHCR continues to interview Liberian refugees for
resettlement in the USA. Out of a total 6,000, approximately 900 refugees
have been resettled to date.

39 Liberian refugees were this week moved fro, Bouaké to Nicla refugee
camp in Guiglo by UNHCR. WFP reports the move was not popular among local
authorities in Guiglo, who accuses UNHCR for bringing unsafe elements into
the area.

The Guiglo transit camp, mainly hosting Burkinabés that have been expelled
from their communities, sheltered 6,723 people in early October. During
the latter part of October, transfers to the new transit camp were
completed. New census figures show that there are 3,178 persons in the new
camp, although the facilities only have a capacity of 2,200 people. IDPs
previously living in Guiglo town, have been reported to have moved into
the vacated tents in the old camp. The new camp still lacks electricity
and health and education facilities, and both camps are overcrowded.

IDPs have expressed during WFP post distribution monitoring in the
central-west, that 98% of them wish to return to their villages of origin
(mostly villages in the west and some in Bouaké) as soon as security
allows.

IDPs continue to return to the town of Toulepleu, that was completely
emptied and widely looted earlier this year. WFP reports that the NGO
Solidarités have registered 2,400 returned families for food distribution.
ICRC and Soidarités plan to provide agricultural tools, soaps, kitchen
utensils and other non-food items at the same time. Ethnic tensions
prevent some groups to return in the northern part of Toulepleu. IDPs are
also returning to the Duékoué area, however so far only 15% of the
population have returned.

More and more IDPs from Bouaké are reported to return. This is seen as a
result of two developments; (i) the improved stability in the town and
(ii) a "fatigue" among the host communities to support the IDPs
continuously.

3. Protection / Human Rights

Gross Human Rights violations reported from Gadougou district where
hundreds of non-native migrant farmers have been driven from their lands
in an apparent dispute over the commerce of cocoa. Inter-agency missions
have twice been prevented access to the area of concern by the Gagnoa
Prefét on basis of procedural errors.

The stalled economy in the north and the west has caused increased rates
of juvenile crime and prostitution. UNICEF is involved with evaluating the
child protection needs and have scheduled a series of child protection
training exercises for NGO partners in the west.

The conflict and resulting population movements, have left large numbers
of children separated from their families and/or been traumatised by the
violence. In the western area of Man and Danane, that have been hardest
hit by the conflict, UNICEF supports 1,430 unaccompanied or socially
marginalized minors through psycho-social counselling.

A workshop to sensitise the Ivorian Armed Forces (FANCI) was held on 5-6
October. UNICEF briefed the Forces on the special needs of children and
juveniles in the process of DDR (Disarmament, Demobilisation and
Reinsertion).

OCHA launched a countrywide project in Cote d'Ivoire on 8th October aimed
at fostering a culture of peace building upon ongoing efforts to bring
back stability to the country. Funded by the government of Belgium, the
"Culture of Project" involves several UN agencies, the Ivorian government
and non-governmental organisations. On 4 - 6 November a seminar on
'Prevention and conflict resolution through negotiation' was held in the
western town of Guiglo, with representatives from civil organizations,
youth and women associations, NGOs and administrative and traditional
authorities.

An ECHO/OCHA mission to the west and the north in October, called
attention to the need for an UNHCR presence in the west to provide
protection to refugees in the rural areas.

4. Food Security / Agriculture

WFP in conjunction with its implementing partners has undertaken a number
of missions to monitor food security and nutrition during the period.
Incidences of malnutrition have been reported in Zouan Hounien and Bin
Houyé due to reduced access to food. Severely malnourished children are
being evacuated to Man. Limited planting in those areas have occurred due
to the conflict, and villagers have to rely on the depleting stocks. MSF
Holland recently reported that the supplementary food interventions in the
area have had a positive impact. A mission to Vavua in the buffer zone
reported that food stocks were adequate. Local markets in Korhogo in the
north of the country, is reported to be full of produce of the latest
harvest. It is feared however that the earnings will not last for long, as
the prices are low.

A food security assessment was conducted among some 20,000 IDPs living
outside of the transit camp near Guiglo. 6% of the children screened were
at risk for malnutrition, and more than half of the population eats only
one meal per day. In Séguela the malnutrition rate is between 4-5%, where
the NGO Médicines du Monde has diagnosed 100 children. Food rations are
being distributed to the Guiglo IDP camp by WFP. ACF conducted a
nutritional survey in the camp, and found no cases of severely
malnourished, 4 moderately malnourished and 28 at risk.

An inter-agency mission was undertaken in Bouna and Bondoukou, in the east
of the country, where there have been reports of food insecurity and
malnutrition. In Bondoukou, it was noted that the purchasing power of IDPs
is weak and there has been an increase in food prices. In Bouna, which is
under the control of the Forces Nouvelle, are only experiencing food
shortages in a small number of villages. In general, the people are
cultivating, and there is an abundance of yams.

Food distribution started in Odienné on 10th November targeting between
1,500 and 2000 IDPs and host families. WFP reports that the health centre
in Odienné receives many cases of malnourished children and pregnant and
lactating women in need of food aid.

A number of food distribution activities have ended during the period.
Action Contre la Faim (ACF) decided to end their supplementary feeding
programme in Duékoué due to a decrease of needy children, and to encourage
IDPs to return to their villages of origin. Solidarités ended their
canteens for IDPs (children and pregnant mothers) in the Daloa-area, as
the area was evaluated no longer be at risk. Four villages in the buffer
zone will however continue to receive food directly from WFP. In the
village of Bellville, also in the buffer-zone, people are not able to work
in their fields due to insecurity. General distributions are made to the
inhabitants.

The joint FAO/WFP emergency agriculture project supplying seeds, inputs
and rice to selected vulnerable farmers, was ongoing during the period.
Preliminary results show that while the maize and vegetable farming are
progressing well, the rice farming has experienced problems. This can
partly be attributed to that abnormally large amounts of rain have flooded
the swamps. In addition, swamp rice cultivation is labour-intensive and
competes for workforce resources with cash crops such as palm trees,
cocoa, coffee and rubber.

5. Health, Water & Sanitation incl. HIV/AIDS

Health services in the north and west are severely hampered by the
on-going political crisis. Following an evaluation mission to the north,
UNICEF estimates that 60% of the health centers have reopened despite lack
of health workers and medicines. UNICEF conducted a nutritional assessment
in four northern districts during October, which observed that
malnutrition among children is prevalent due to lack of access to health
services and cash to purchase food.

An interagency mission to Bouna, reported that the water and sanitation
there are insufficient to meet basic needs. Only 6 out of 14 health
centers are operational, and only two have qualified personnel. Urgent
humanitarian assistance is required to prevent the deterioration of
health.

WFP reports that the water pump system in Man has broken down causing
erratic water supply in the town. SODECI have requested the ICRC to assist
them obtaining a pump from Abidjan and asked WFP to provide food to the
workers, as they have no access to cash.

MSF-France has intervened in the health sector since the beginning of the
crisis, and in Bouaké, a medical staff of 127 (7 expatriates) carry out
hundreds of consultations every month. ICRC continued to supply
medications and vaccines during the period.

UNICEF is implementing various programmes to improve the health,
nutrition, water & sanitation situation in the country, with particular
emphasis on children in the north and the west. The programmes include:

   Provision of logistical, technical and financial support in favour of
   the national Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT)
   Programme including testing kits and anti-retroviral medication.
   Currently five centres are being supported, but plans are underway to
   expand the programme country-wide;

   Anti-measles vaccination campaign targeting 380,948 children during
   November;

   Awareness programme in schools to promote hygiene and health including
   HIV/AIDS;

   Construction of sanitation facilities at new IDP reception center in
   Guiglo;

   Rehabilitated 6 water pumps in the Daloa-area to benefit some 14,000
   people during October;


During 8 -- 15 September, an inter-agency mission was conducted in the
south-western town of Tabou to study alternatives for the provision of
safe drinking water. The risk of epidemics due to the difficult water
supply situation was found to be high, due to the proximity of water
points and wells to latrines. The mission recommends sensibilisation
campaigns for the population, de-contamination of wells, the provision of
infrastructure support to repair existing structures and building of new
wells.

Poor water and sanitation is seen as a cause of continued malnutrition in
the west of the country; The International Rescue Committee (IRC) will be
undertaking some water improvement activities in the zone close to the
Liberian border.

ICRC in conjunction with local Red Cross volunteers, has since August been
purifying 525 wells in the western part of the country. There were rumours
that the water was contaminated, and the villagers refused to drink the
water.

CARE discontinued their sanitation project in Bouaké in September due to
lack of funds. The city is at risk of being overwhelmed with garbage,
thereby increasing the risk of diseases. To prevent this, WFP is planning
a Food for Work sanitation project with CNI (Conseil National Islamique)
as an interim solution until CARE resumes the project under new funding.

The Minstry of Solidarity and Social Welfare announced in a workshop on
10th November that the HIV/AIDS infection rate is estimated at 10.5% of
the adult population, and that between 600,000 and 700,000 children have
been orphaned as a result. UNICEF is supporting the National Plan for
Orphans and Vulnerable Children both technically and financially.

WHO, UNICEF and the local NGO ASAPSU have in collaboration with the
National nutrition Programme begun a nutritional evaluation of targeted
districts in the west and north. The aim is to establish a network of NGOs
to monitor the nutritional status of the population and provide adequate
medical health care.

6. Education

UNICEF, in collaboration with the Government, is providing assistance in
support of the 2003-2004 school year that commenced in the south on 6
October 2003. UNICEF is providing 1,000 educational kits, teaching aid
kits for 1,000 teachers and 175 recreational kits to benefit 50,000
vulnerable children (including IDPs). An Official handover of the
donations took place on 20th October.

The Ministry of Education decided recently that schools in Guiglo, Duekoue
and Bangolo should resume on 4th November. (Guiglo and Duekoue are under
government control, while Bangolo is situation in the confidence zone).
UNICEF has assisted the Ministry with identifying needs as well as
supplying teaching materials, hygiene supplies etc to an estimated 10,000
children. Due to the insecurity in those areas, NGOs have indicated that
some parents are reluctant to send their children back to school.

WFP, through its Emergency School Feeding Programme, undertook the last
food distribution of the school year in the north to 10,800 pupils in
Korhogo and 12,000 in Man. The school year for all children in the
Forces-Nouvelles-held north and west is scheduled to restart on 5 January
2004. A decision to validate the school year for the north, concerns only
the Bouaké-area. The students have not yet undertaken an exam

UNICEF has also facilitated the training of some 250 teachers in a
"Culture of Peace and Tolerance" curriculum, accompanied by a Teachers'
Guide and "training of trainers" module. The curriculum has been
integrated into the educational programmes of primary and secondary school
students in target communities in the south, and will be progressively
integrated into all schools.

Resource Mobilisation

Cote d'Ivoire and the Sub-region -- The CAP 2004 Launch is scheduled for
18 November 2003 in Ottawa, Canada. The launch of the CAP Document for CDI
will be held in Guiglo, preceded by a field trip for donors and government
officials.

The latest financial tracking tables can be viewed on-line at any time at
www.reliefweb.int/fts

Information sources include the Integrated Regional Information Network
(IRIN). With the exception of public UN sources, reproduction or
redistribution of the above text, in whole, part or in any form, requires
the prior consent of the original source. This situation report is posted
on www.reliefweb.int, an information resource for humanitarian crises.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact:

Ms. Besida Tonwe, Head of Office
tel. +225-2240-5175

Ms. Frøydis Dybdahl, Public Information Officer
e-mail: froydis@ocha.ci


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