OCHA Situation Report No. 23
Cote d'Ivoire
02 - 09 October 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. Political and Security Situation

At its session held in Addis Ababa on 06 October 2005, the Peace and
Security Council of the African Union (UA) decided to extend the mandate
of the Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo which expires on 30 October
2005. According to the final communique issued at the end of the
session, the Council recommended to maintain Mr. Gbagbo in office for a
transitional period of not more than 12 months, with effect from 31
October 2005. During the transitional period, "a new Prime Minister
acceptable to all the signatories of the Linas-Marcoussis agreements
shall be appointed". On 07 October 2005, the spokesman of the Forces
Nouvelles, Mr. Sidiki Konate, declared that AU Heads of State had no
other choice but to maintain President Laurent Gbagbo at his post after
30th October 2005. However, the Forces Nouvelles do not feel bound by
this decision since they insist that Mr. Gbagbo's mandate cannot be
extended when it expires on 30 October 2005.

A ceremony was held in Bouake on 7 October 2005 to mark the inauguration
of the renovated Police and Gendarmerie stations in the FN-controlled
zones. It was attended by representatives from the European Union (EU)
and the Prime Minister's office. Addressing the public, the EU
representative, Mr. Christian Creuser, underlined the symbolic nature of
the renovation works, testifying to the good collaboration between the
European Union and Cote d'Ivoire.

The UN Police in Korhogo reported the death of a Niger national who was
arrested three months ago for an identity check and kept in custody
until 5 October, 2005. He died the same day under unknown circumstances.
An inquiry was opened.

According to ONUCI information, eight people were killed in an incident
in Douandrou (on the Guiglo-Blolequin road) in what appears to be an
internal conflict among Gueres.

II. Humanitarian situation

Population movement

>From the 7 - 10 October 2005, 626 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
sheltered at the Catholic Mission at Duekoue, voluntarily returned to
their respective villages situated in the Confidence Zone (Diahouin,
Baoubly, Tissongene, Seoun-Guiglo, Diehiba and Guinglo-Sropan). ONUCI
facilitated their transport, French Peacekeeping Force provided
security, HCR and IOM supplied them with non-food items (tents, jerry
cans, cooking utensils, mosquito nets) and WFP food assistance (monthly
ration).

On 06 October 2005, ICRC carried out distribution of non-food items
(jerry cans, cooking utensil, soap, mosquito nets) to 1430 IDPs who
returned to Kouaro from Bin-Houye and Zouan Hounien areas where they
found shelter with 225 local host families.

Water and Sanitation

Since 03 October 2005, the inhabitants of Boundiali in the Savanes
region in the North of the country have been facing serious water
shortages caused by the breakdown of an underground pump, which supplies
water to the city water treatment plant. According to the
representatives of the Water Company, SODECI, who were contacted by
OCHA-Korhogo, the pump cannot be repaired and must be replaced by a new
one.

UNICEF completed the drilling of the bore well in the Dioula quarter of
Fengolo, on 03 October 2005.

Health, incl. Nutrition and HIV/AIDS

>From the 3 - 6 October 2005, WFP organized a training course for the
>staff
of its offices in Man and Guiglo and other humanitarian partner
organizations on prevention and care of malnutrition affecting children
aged below five years. Within the framework of its malnutrition
prevention program in the regions of Moyen Cavally and 18 Montagnes, WFP
collaborates with its partners - MSF/Belgique, ACF and other NGOs - in
nutritional care activities in support of children in Man, Zouan
Hounien, Bin Houye and Teapleu.

OCHA-Korhogo reported that the Koni Health Centre (15 km from Korhogo)
continues to provide medical treatment to the population of the town and
surrounding villages. In September 2005, 784 cases of malaria and 81
cases of typhoid fever were treated at the Centre. According to the
staff of the Centre, this situation was caused by lack of hygiene and
sanitation aggravated by the absence of home latrines, and rainwater
that washes surface wastes deep down into the bore wells. All the six
hydraulic pumps are out of order. The town is also facing problems of
malnutrition and anemia. In September, following 17 weighing sessions
conducted in Koni, 41 out of 104 children weighed were reported to be
suffering from malnutrition. On 06 October 2005, a pregnant woman died
for the same reason. OCHA-Korhogo plans to hold a coordination meeting
with humanitarian partner organizations on 12 October 2005 to review the
situation.

During a field mission to Fengolo (2 - 9 October, 2005) the NGO Save the
Children UK, in collaboration with OCHA-Guiglo and the populations of
Fengolo identified a site for setting up a mobile clinic. The mobile
clinic service will be available in Fengolo every Friday, starting from
14 October 2005. UNICEF supplied SC-UK with essential drugs for free
medical care for more than 20.0000 patients for a period of three
months.

Internally-displaced persons - including children and women - who
returned to Kouaro (about 10 km from Toulepleu) have no access to
medical care since they cannot travel to Toulepleu for security reasons
due to inter-community tensions.

Education

OCHA-Bouake reported that on 06 October 2005, "School and Education
Committee" of the Forces Nouvelles (FN) chaired by Colonel-Major
Sirimba, took the following decisions concerning FN-controlled zones:

- The school year for primary and secondary schools will start on 17
October, 2005.

- In order to set the dates for the CEPE, BEPC and BAC school
examinations, a workshop will be organized in Korhogo from 12-14
October, 2005.

Protection

WFP conducted a training workshop focused on the role of WFP in the
protection of internally-displaced persons. The training intended for
the staff of UN agencies and ONUCI, was facilitated by OCHA (Allegra
Baiocchi, OCHA-New York and Peter Neussl, OCHA-CI). It was organized in
two stages, the first (05-06 October) in Abidjan and the second (07-08
October) in Guiglo.

Food Security

The FAO Emergency Programs Coordinator fielded a mission to Zou and
Logouale (18 Montagnes region) to assess FAO rice and corn planting
activities.

Social Cohesion

The peace caravan called "Women of Cote d'Ivoire, Let's Save our
Country" arrived at Bouake on 05 October 2005. In a public statement, Ms
Traore Fatoumata, Forces Nouvelles National Secretary for
Identification, expressed the hope that the event could help to mobilize
the country's youth and strengthen social cohesion. She stressed the
importance of events of this kind, which could rally representatives of
all political parties around the common goal of working together to
rebuild the country.

Communication

Last week, the radio programme "Main dans la main" (managed by OCHA-CI
in partnership with ONUCI FM and the NGO Search for Common Ground)
focused on issues concerning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Journalists interviewed IDPs at the Guiglo Transit and Reception Centre
(CADT) and beneficiaries of the UNDP program "ABRI" (or Support to
resettlement and social integration program) in Abidjan. The
participation of OCHA-CI Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Peter
Neussl in the radio programme, contributed to give an insight into the
Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.

V. Resource Mobilization (09 October 2005)

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

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