OCHA Situation Report No. 29
Cote d'Ivoire
20-27 November 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. Political and Security Situation

The Presidents of three African countries, mediators in the Ivorian crisis,
Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Mamadou Tanja of
Niger, undertook an official visit to Abidjan on 22 November 2005 in a new
mediation attempt to reduce political tensions in Cote d'Ivoire. They conducted
negotiations with the main political leaders concerning the appointment of the
new Prime Minister acceptable to all the parties concerned. Before leaving
Abidjan, Olusegun Obasanjo declared to journalists that even if the post of
Prime Minister remained vacant, the mediators succeeded in reducing the number
of candidates to two persons.

On 25 November 2005, the Supreme Court of Cote d'Ivoire invalidated the
decision taken by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on 19 October 2005
regarding the election of its Executive Committee. According to the Ivorian
media, the decision was motivated by the non-compliance of the election with
the IEC law. This ruling provoked negative reaction from the opposition
parties.

II. Humanitarian Situation

Population movement

On 22 November 2005, OCHA, WFP, UNICEF, HCR, CAPE ANAMUR, SC-UK and the Duekoue
Regional Education Department (DREN) conducted a joint mission to Duekoue and
neighbouring villages to assess the situation of internally-displaced persons
(IDPs) who had voluntarily returned to their respective villages, particularly
in Toa Zeo (117 households), Blody (80 households) and Yrouzon (30 households).
The IDPs who have returned to their villages of origin are in need of
protection, food and non-food items, potable water and medical care. To promote
and accelerate sustainable reintegration of IDPs into normal life these needs
should be promptly addressed by the humanitarian actors.

HCR, in collaboration with partner NGOs, GTZ, Caritas and ASA (Afrique Secours
et Assistance), and the Department of support and assistance to refugees and
stateless persons (SAARA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cote d'Ivoire
facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 122 Liberian refugees from Toulepleu
on 22 November 2005.

Water and Sanitation

Within the framework of the programme of rehabilitation of pumps in the 18
Montagnes Region, UNICEF started to set up management committees in 276
villages targeted by the project. On the whole, UNICEF plans to rehabilitate
309 pumps.

OCHA-Bouake reported that the NGO CARE International is experiencing funding
problems in implementation of the garbage collection sanitation project in
Bouake. At present, CARE International has no resources to ensure the
transportation of garbage from the dumps to the landfills. Consequently, the
dumps are clogged with garbage.

Health, incl. Nutrition and HIV/AIDS

During the week, MSF-France provided intensive care to 30 children suffering
from severe form of malnutrition at the Nutritional and Therapeutic Centre
(CNT) in Guiglo.

NGO AWECO is pursuing the HIV/AIDS sensitization campaign in Nicla refugee
camp. A total of 715 persons aged 16 - 50 years received training on prevention
of pandemics. 300 condoms were distributed during the campaign.

On 25-26 November 2005, CARE International conducted a workshop for health
workers in the 18 Montagnes Region on sexually-transmitted infections (STI)
care. The representatives of the Forces Nouvelles military garrisons based in
Man, Biankouma, Touba, Facobly, Sipilou, Logouale, Mahapleu and Seguela were
also invited to this workshop. The trainers paid particular attention to the
psychosocial and socio-economic aspects of STI treatment as well as the
organization of STI sensitization activities.

Education

Secondary school students went on a peaceful demonstration in Guiglo on 23
November 2005 to protest against the shortage of teachers, school equipment and
teaching materials. The demonstration ended by a meeting with the military
Prefect of the Moyen Cavally Region. In Duekoue, the students called on the
education authorities and those of the Prefecture authorities to discuss the
same demands.

The sensitization campaign aimed at encouraging children/girls to return to
school was pursued in Man. The sensitization caravan is traveling through city,
offering children and leaders of women's associations the opportunity to
address the population. On 23 November 2005, Korgodo and Bouake local education
authorities officially launched the sensitization campaign for the return of
children/girls to school in the presence of UN agencies and humanitarian
partners. The distribution of school kits is planned during the campaign.

Protection

International Rescue Committee (IRC) is implementing a programme on gender
violence in the 18 Montagnes region. The IRC emphasised that during October
2005, twenty (20) cases of acts of violence against women were recorded in
healthcare centres in Man and Danane. To cope with the problem, the IRC plans
to conduct; in Man from 25 to 26 November 2005, a workshop on human rights for
soldiers of the Forces Nouvelles Armed Forces elements.

Social cohesion

The Fengolo Peace Committee met representatives of the Baoule community in
Anouaze-Amanikro camp (9 km West of Fengolo). The community considered as
"foreigners" warmly received the Peace Committee mission, facilitated by OCHA,
Care International and AID-CI. During the meeting, the Baoule leaders expressed
their complaints and exchanged views on measures to be taken to strengthen
social cohesion among Fengolo communities. The meeting was followed by a
reconciliation ceremony attended by ONUCI and French peacekeeping forces.

The NGO Search for Common Ground organized, from 20 to 27 November 2005 in
Guiglo, a training course on mediation and conflict resolution for community
leaders, young people and local authorities from the departments of Duekoue,
Guiglo, Blolequin and Touleupleu.

Food Security

During the week under review, WFP distributed more than 116 tons of food in the
Moyen Cavally region, more than 138 tons of food in 18 Montagnes region and
more than 115 tons of food in the Department of Bouake in the framework of a
school canteen programme and IDP support programme.

The NGO Action contre la Faim (ACF) plans to stop humanitarian activities in
the West of Cote d'Ivoire by the end of 2005. The ACF decision was motivated by
the improvement of food security indicators in the region and the presence of
numerous humanitarian actors dealing with malnutrition. The ACF operational
base in Man will be closed, while the Nutrition and Therapeutic Centre in
Zouan-Hounien will be handed over to the NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres- Holland.

After a visit to Bouake last week, the delegation of the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (FIDA) conducted a mission to the departments of
Boundiali, Ferke and Korhogo from 20 to 26 November 2005 in order to assess
urgent humanitarian needs on the ground and plan the resumption of FIDA
activities in the area. The FIDA team held several meetings with humanitarian
partners during which they discussed FIDA plans and considered different areas
of humanitarian interventions.

Gender

A joint UNDP/UNFPA delegation undertook a mission to Man, Guiglo and Duekoue to
assess how the current crisis had affected women and women associations on the
ground. The delegation held meetings with local authorities, humanitarian
partners, IDPs at the Duekoue Transit Centre (CATD) and refugees at Nicla
refugee camp. During the meetings with the humanitarian partners, the
UNDP/UNFPA team pointed out that poverty reduction remained the main concern of
the local population and women in particular.

Coordination

At the request of the Humanitarian Coordinator, OCHA-Guiglo facilitated and
chaired a mission to Fengolo to assess the process of rehabilitating the houses
of Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) returning to the village and a mission
to Toa-Zeo, Blody, Yrouzon and Nidrou to assess the needs of returning IDPs.

Since 28 November 2005, Korhogo has been experiencing serious communication
problems (telephone and Internet access blocked). Communication facilities in
Korhogo are increasingly facing technical problems, which hamper the
coordination of humanitarian activities.

IV. Resource Mobilization (27 November 2005 according to FTS)

No new contributions were reported by Financial Tracking Service (FTS)

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Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
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