OCHA Situation Report No. 28
Cote d'Ivoire
6 - 20 November 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. Political and Security Situation

The International Working Group (IWG) on Cote d'Ivoire, set up by the UN
Security Counsel Resolution 1633, empowered to monitor and facilitate
the peace process in the country, held its first meeting on 08 November
2005. The IWG consists of representatives of the UN, African Union,
European Union, the International Organization of French-speaking
countries, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, as
well as representatives of South Africa, Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Niger,
Nigeria, France, United Kingdom and United States. During the meeting
the IWG discussed the Prime Minister competences and pointed out that he
would nominate civilian and military civil servants. On 11 November
2005, the FPI (Front Populaire Ivoirien) Secretary General Miaka Ouretto
gave a press conference denouncing the International Working Group (IWG)
for going beyond the UN Security Council resolution 1633 by defining the
powers of the new Prime Minister. "instead of assisting the government
in the implementation of its programme in order to consolidate and
strengthen the existing follow up mechanisms".

Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Oluyemi Adeniji, on visit in Cote
d'Ivoire, conducted a mission to Bouake on 17 November 2005 to meet the
Forces Nouvelles (FN) authorities. After the meeting the FN spokesman
Sidiki Konate made a public statement. He declared that the envoy of the
President of Nigeria came to discuss the issue of the new Prime Minister
nomination. Mr. Sidiki Konate informed that the Forces Nouvelles leader,
William Soro, was not on the list of candidates brought by the envoy.
The FN spokesman underlined that the Forces Nouvelles control 60 % of
the territory populated with 7 million people, however their status and
their weight " in the process of transition" were not taken into account
by the International Community. Mr. Konate underlined that the new list
of candidates would not be considered by the FN. "We do not know the
reasons of choice of these candidates to the detriment of the FN
candidate and we do not accept this list ", said the FN spokesman. The
Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister stated that the mediation remained at
the phase of consultations and that the final list of candidates was not
yet worked out.

ONUCI-Guiglo reported that on 18 November 2005, some 40 Defense and
Security Forces elements (FDS) based in Duekoue, shot in the air for
about five minutes near the residence of the Military Governor. They
requested the war bonus payment, which had been delayed for four months.
The war bonus is of F CFA 180.000 per month for Military and of F CFA
90.000 for Police. The Military Governor addressed the protestors and
promised to pay the bonus shortly.

Within the framework of the National Peace Day celebration Mr. Pierre
Schori, Representative of the UN Secretary General in Cote d'Ivoire,
visited Zuenoula (392 km from Abidjan) on 15 November 2005. During a
forum organized by ONUCI Mr. Schori made a statement addressing the
issue of the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire. He declared that this
problem will be discussed during the French-speaking countries Summit in
Bamako (Mali) planned on 04 -05 December 2005. Mr. Schori underlined
that the situation in Cote d'Ivoire greatly depended on young people and
invited them to take an active part in the peace process and to
cooperate with ONUCI and other UN agencies.

II. Humanitarian Situation

Population movement

On 15 November 2005, the HCR, in collaboration with NGOs CARITAS and GTZ
and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cote d'Ivoire, started the
voluntary repatriation of 123 Liberian refugees from Blolequin, Bin
Houye, Zouan Hounien, Toulepleu and the camp of Nicla.

As of 10 November 2005, IOM registered 302 Internally Displaced Persons
(IDP) in Duekoue: 256 IDPs at the site of the Catholic Mission and 56
IDPs at the Social Centre. The great majority of these IDPs (236
persons) come from three villages: Blody - 54 persons, Toa Zeo - 30
persons and Yrozon - 152 persons. OCHA Guiglo reports that the return of
IDPs to their villages is slowed down by the lack of basic
infrastructure in the villages: water, health and education facilities.

Water and Sanitation

As provided for by the agreement between UNICEF and DHH (Human Water
Supply Direction), the DHH representative resumed functions in Man on 14
November 2005. He will coordinate the rehabilitation of 300 hydraulic
pumps in the region of 18 Montagnes.

OCHA-Guiglo reported that the NGO Solidarites financed by the HCR,
continue the implementation of water and sanitation projects on the axis
Guiglo-Blolequin (17 villages) and Guiglo-Tai (20 villages). Solidarites
set up local executive committees to follow up the projects in the
villages. Moreover, Solidarites also carries out a sanitation project in
Blolequin; a tractor will be handed over to Blolequin municipality next
week for garbage collection.

Health, incl. Nutrition and HIV/AIDS

WHO and UNICEF supported Cote d'Ivoire authorities in conducting a
national polio vaccination campaign from 11 to 14 November, covering
more than five million children up to five years old. According to OCHA
sub offices, 96 % of targeted children were vaccinated in the northern
region of Savanne, 101.5 % - in the western region of 18 Montagnes and
about 90 % - in central Vallee du Bandama. This is part of a regional
campaign to eradicate the spread of polio in West Africa.

On 18 November 2005, the NGO CARE International handed over to Korhogo
Public Health Centre medical equipments and furniture: tables (3),
office chairs (3), cupboards (3), benches (5), mattresses (10),
individual health books (600), illness observation notebooks (300) and
diagnosis forms (300). The ceremony took place in the presence of CARE
International CEO in Cote-d' Ivoire, Korhogo civilian and military
authorities and humanitarian partners.

According to OCHA-Guiglo, MSF-France takes care of 35 ill-nourished
children at Guiglo Therapeutic Nutritional Centre (CNT). Ten (10) other
outpatient children are also taken care of. In total, between 130 and
170 patients are treated at the CNT every day without pay. The majority
of the patients are treated for malaria.

ONG AWECO conducted a sensitisation campaign on HIV/AIDS in Guiglo among
refugees and internally displaced persons sheltered at the Transit camp
(CATD), Nicla refugee camp and host families. In total, 1.357 men and
1.294 women were targeted. During the campaign AWECO distributed
condoms.

Education

On 15 November 2005, Forces Nouvelles (FN) civilian and military
authorities held a meeting with parents and students representatives in
Korhogo to discuss the issue of school exams in zone under FN control.
FN education officials declared that they had took necessary technical
and financial measures to prepare exams. However, in the absence of an
acceptable negotiating partner they have to wait for the nomination of a
new Prime minister and new Government. Meanwhile, the reopening of the
new 2005-2006 academic year remains timid in the FN zone despite the
repeated FN radio appeals to students, teachers and parents.

A sensitization campaign aimed at child/girls return to school was
launched in Man on 19 November 2005 in the presence of FN authorities,
local Community and religious leaders and representatives of women
associations. The campaign received wide local media coverage.

This week, the NGOs Save the Children UK and Save the Children Sweden
and the Alliance of NGOs Save the Children visited Guiglo and held a
meeting with the education sector group. The delegation was briefed on
major education challenges faced by humanitarian partners in the region
of Moyen Cavally, particularly, the deficit in professional teachers and
school equipments. Later the delegation exchanged views on education
problems with OCHA-CI in Abidjan.

Protection

UNICEF signed an agreement with the NGO ASA (Afrique Secours Assistance)
and Save the Children UK within the framework of the PDR programme
(Prevention, Disarmament and Reintegration of children associated with
armed forces). Fifty (50) children in Guiglo and 200 children in
villages on Guiglo-Toulepleu axis will benefit from this program. Save
the Children UK will conduct training of people to assure follow up of
the PDR programme in the villages concerned by the agreement.

The NGO ASA delivered food and non-food items (sleeping and toilet kits)
to 72 Liberian children refugees and to 4 host families in Bin Houye. At
Nicla refugee camp ASA provided psychological consultations to refugees
children without parents.

Social cohesion

The NGO AID-CI conducted a mission to Fengolo to follow up the new Peace
Committee set up last month in the village. AID-CI reported that the
Committee holds regular weekly meetings and already managed to settle
some disputes and achieved a certain level of inter community
cooperation. However, AID-CI underlined that land problems in Fengolo
still persist.

Food Security

FAO in collaboration with the National Agency of Support to Rural
Development (ANADER) conducted training for national NGOs IFS, ODAFEM
and IDE Afrique from 08 to 09 November 2005, in Man. The NGOs will
monitor the implementation of the FAO garden programme in the region.

>From 07 to 13 November 2005, WFP delivered food to 604 households in
Duekoue and Toulepleu within the framework of its garden programme.
Fifty nine (59) families of IDPs returning to Bangolo and Beoue-Zagna
received food rations for 30 days period. 6055 refugees at Nicla camp
and 6471 IDPs at the Transit camp (CATD) received monthly food ration.

FIDA delegation undertook a mission to the Departments of Bouake,
Boundiali, Ferke and Korhogo from 16 to 26 November 2005 in order to
assess the situation on the ground since their projects had been
interrupted three years ago and to prepare the resumption of activities.
A more important FIDA assessment mission will follow this visit in
January 2006. On 17 November 2005, in Bouake, FIDA delegation held a
working meeting with humanitarian partners to exchange views on possible
spheres of humanitarian interventions and projects already being carried
out.

Shelter and non-food items

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has just provided
assistance to 1668 households in nine villages in the Zou Sub Prefecture
(Department of Man). Within the framework of this operation, conducted
from 16 to 20 November 2005, the ICRC team in collaboration with Cote
d'Ivoire Red Cross first-aid workers distributed first necessity items
such as kitchen utensils (1870), clothes (7934), mats (7934), soaps
(17051) and buckets (2116).

Coordination

On 18 November 2005, OCHA-CI submitted to donors the drafts of the
reports on education and water, which will be finalized shortly. These
reports produce the analysis of existing problems, make the mapping of
humanitarian partners commitments in the education and water fields and
provide recommendations.

OCHA-CI produced a monthly report after a break since May 2005. Monthly
reports will provide an analysis of the main humanitarian challenges and
trends in Cote d'Ivoire.

IV. Resource Mobilization (30 October 2005 according to FTS)

No new contributions reported by Financial Tracking Service (FTS)

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Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
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