OCHA Situation Report No. 7
Cote d'Ivoire
11 - 17 June 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. Key political and security highlights

>From 14 to 16 June 2005, following the recent violent killings of 31
May 2005, President Laurent Gbagbo undertook a visit to Duekoue, Guiglo
and Toulepleu (Western region of Cote d'Ivoire) where he visited the
village of Guitrozon and Petit Duekoue as well as the internally
displaced persons sites (Mairie, Centre Culturel, mission catholique).
He exhorted the communities to live together peacefully and urged the
youth to avoid responding to provocations, which could hinder the
implementation of the DDR process and thwart the upcoming electoral
process. In Guiglo, Blolequin and Toulepleu, the President advised the
aggrieved populations to set up reconciliation committees in order to
discuss and resolve their problems. President Gbagbo also visited the
internally displaced persons camp CATD-NICLA of Guiglo, where 90 % of
the Internally Displaced Persons are from Burkina Faso. He reassured
them that all necessary measures would be taken to enable them to return
to their plantations.

On Friday 17 June 2005, during his broadcast address on state
television, President Laurent Gbagbo announced that he would appoint a
military governor for the west of the country in order to provide
security in this troubled region. He added that Abidjan would be split
into five zones, each with its own emergency intervention unit, which
residents could call on 24 hours a day to fight insecurity and violence
in the city. According to him, these measures are taken to re-establish
the overall authority of the state and restore security to ensure that
elections go ahead as scheduled in October 2005. The President said the
new military governor would be based in Duekoue and would be in charge
of all elements of the army, the gendarmerie, police and customs
officers in the region. He added that substantial logistical means would
be put in place as soon as possible to facilitate the movement of the
security and defence forces. Military prefects will also be appointed in
other western towns to restore security ahead of the elections and to
help people return to their villages and cocoa farms.

On Thursday 16 June 2005, the Deputy Special Representative of the
Secretary General, Mr. Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, led a team made up of the
Force Commander of the UNOCI peacekeeping force, the UNOCI/ Director of
Human Rights Division, CIVPOL Officers, the Head of the OCHA office and
the Field Security Coordination Officer, to vvisit the village of
Fengolo located 6 km from Duekoue in the Zone of Confidence. The
fact-finding mission was mandated to review all aspects of the
situation, including ethnic and communal tensions, protection and social
cohesion issues as well as the impact of an alleged black market. 12,000
non-natives and foreigners currently inhabit the village of Fengolo,
with a population of 15,000 persons as the local community fled the
village to seek refuge in Duekoue when ethnic clashes erupted earlier in
the year. The mission initiated a reconciliation process between both
estranged communities and is exploring ways and means to assist in
rebuilding homes, implementing confidence-building measures and
providing assistance to facilitate their return.

As the security situation continues to improve in Duekoue, a significant
number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are returning to their
homes. At the catholic mission the number of IDPs decreased from 5,250
to 3,500 last week. In Guiglo, 833 out 1,600 IDPs spent the night in the
town hall and many others are living now in host families. Next week,
IOM and UNICEF, the designated camp managers, will conduct a census to
determine the latest number of IDPs residing in the sites in order to
tailor an appropriate humanitarian response.

Following a conflict related to land tenure reported on 15 June, OCHA,
UNICEF, WPF conducted a joint assessment mission to Alepe locality, some
50 km northeast of Abidjan. A total number of 541 displaced persons from
the Lobi, Abron and Koulango communities coming from the Zanzan region,
east of Cote d'Ivoire, were chased out from their homes by young men of
the local ethnic group (the Atties). Some 200 persons lost their homes
when they were burnt down.  The assistance provided so far by local
authorities, the health district, religious communities and political
representatives of the Zanzan region comprised of food assistance,
shelter, potable water has met the needs of the displaced. Children have
benefited from routine vaccination. Humanitarian actors will monitored
the situation. A full report is available at the OCHA office.

II. Humanitarian challenges

Water and sanitation

Water supply has been reinforced in Korhogo since Monday 13 June 2005
with the installation of distribution stands with taps provided by the
ICRC. Three boreholes are now operational ("Quartier Koko, Hotel Mont
Korhogo, and SODECI" the water supply company), while 36 taps are
connected to the boreholes of "Quartier Koko", and 60 taps connected to
the one of Hotel Mont Korhogo". The distribution site of the water
supply company (SODECI) provides 3,000 litres per day. Moreover 18
distribution sites installed by UNICEF are still provided with water
trucked in from Ferkessedougou (50 km from Korhogo). The health centres,
the prison and the slaughterhouse are also provided with potable water.
The collaborative partnership has increased the access of potable water
up to 600,000 litres per day in Korhogo.

Health, incl. Nutrition and HIV/AIDS

This week, cases of severe malnutrition have increased to 62 from 34
treated at the Guiglo therapeutic nutrition centre of MSF-France. UNICEF
is planning to establish nutritional unit at the hospital of Duekoue to
facilitate the care provided to the children and to avoid separating
them from their mothers. High-energy biscuits were distributed to 1,725
IDPs in Guiglo in partnership with ICRC. The most vulnerable children
under five and old persons were targeted for this distribution.

After three months of absence due to events that occurred in November
2004, Handicap International is back to Bouake to resume its
physiotherapy activities.

In the framework of the HIV/AIDS in emergency programme, CARE
International is distributing sensitization material, documents and kits
to partners and community-based organizations. CARE international is
planning a training session for the staff of humanitarian agencies based
in Bouake, Korhogo and Man on their perception of the personal risk and
the coordination of interagency HIV/AIDS programmes. Condoms are
available for humanitarian actors at CARE International Office in
Bouake.

Protection

On Thursday 16 June 2005, the Day of African Child was organized at
Tioro, located near Korhogo, by the NGO ARK (Animation Rurale de
Korhogo) with the participation of more than 3,500 children from
Lavononkaha, Nganon, Tioro and Korhogo. Even children who look after
cows of Kohotieri participated in the celebration. UNICEF seized the
opportunity of this commemoration to provide the townhall of Bouake with
office equipment, 1,790 registers and three motorbikes for birth
registration. A census of infants aged 0 to 3 months, who have not been
not registered, was launched through a partnership between UNICEF,
UNOCI/Human Rights, Save the Children Sweden and AIP (Association
Ivoirienne pour le Progres) a local ONG in order to deliver free birth
certificates.  It is expected that 1,000 children of Bouake will receive
a birth certificate.

Food security

The cost of maize is becoming increasingly expensive in Korhogo with a
bag of maize of 100 kg at 15 000 francs CFA. According to the NGO "Le
Grenier International", most people cannot afford it because the cotton
harvest was not well paid and income-generating activities have
drastically decreased. With the first heavy rains, WPF/Korhogo in
conjunction with NGO ARK "Animation Rurale Korhogo" will provide 1,000
families with rice seeds and fertilizers 1,000 other families with maize
seeds in 96 villages of the savannah region.

Humanitarian Coordination

On Thursday 16 June 2005, OCHA/Guiglo organised a coordination meeting
on the sectorial humanitarian response plan. In the health sector,
Humanitarian actors are still following up on the ongoing responses. It
was agreed to have a stock of drugs on the spot and to set up an early
warning system. As far as food security is concerned, WPF and FAO are
planning a distribution of swamp rice seeds to 2,800 returned families
in Duekoue and CIB area. 1,250 families will benefit from maize seeds
and 1,250 others will be provided with market gardening seeds. 4,500
families will receive for 2 or 3 months, food assistance to avoid
consuming the seeds. Food assistance for 10,000 persons for 15 days is
available in case of a long lasting stay of internally displaced persons
in the sites. Concerning the water and sanitation sector, 5 bladders of
5,000 litres and 2 bladders of 15,000 litres are available. UNICEF and
IOM have started the maintenance of the sanitation truck of Duekoue.
UNHCR is making available non-food items to be distributed by IOM to the
returnees of Guiglo and Guitrozon.

OCHA opened an antenna in Man on Friday 17 June 2005 and is sharing
office space with UNICEF.

III. Resources mobilization (As of Friday 17th June 2005 according to
the FTS)

FAO has received US $ 1,038,000 representing 40 % of the total budget.

IOM has received US $ 320,000 representing 45.70% of the total budget.

Out of US $ 39,366,057 appealed for CAP 2005, only US $10,707,273 is
actually available, representing 29.50% of the requirements.

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