United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire
Encyclopedia
The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire is a peacekeeping mission whose objective is "to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003" (which aimed to end the Ivorian Civil War). The two main Ivorian parties here are the Ivorian Government forces who control the south of the country, and the New Forces (former rebels), who control the north. The UNOCI mission aims to control a "zone of confidence" across the centre of the country separating the two parties. The Head of Mission and Special Representative of the Secretary-General is Choi Young-jin
from Republic of Korea.
on 27 February 2004 to take over from MINUCI from 4 April 2004. The mandate was subsequently extended several times, including 31 October 2008, 31 January 2010, 27 May 2010, and most recently on 20 December 2010.
In February 2006, following an appeal by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
, the United Nations Security Council
agreed to strengthen the ONUCI forces by sending a battalion from United Nations Mission in Liberia
with 800-soldiers to Côte d'Ivoire. As of November 2006, the mission consisted of about 8,000 uniformed soldiers from a total of 41 countries. They have included, from the Bangladeshi Army, 56th and 57th Battalions, East Bengal Regiment
. They were deployed alongside 4,000 French soldiers of the Operation Licorne
intervention.
On 29 July 2008, the day before UNOCI's mandate was set to expire, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to extend its mandate to 31 January 2009 so that the peacekeepers could "support the organization of free, open, fair and transparent elections". A presidential election is planned for 2009, after numerous delays arising from postwar issues.
In January 2006, supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo
attacked the base of the United Nations peacekeepers after the Ivorian Popular Front
withdrew from the Ivorian Civil War peace process. About 1,000 protesters invaded the UN base at Guiglo
.
In the aftermath of the 2010 presidential election, incumbent president Gbagbo said UNOCI troops should leave the country. However, the UN refused to do so, upon which Gbagbo's aides then said UN troops would be treated as "rebels" should they stay in the country, where they are protecting the internationally recognised though domestically disputed winner of the election.
On 30 March United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975
was issued which, in particular, urged all Ivorian parties to respect the will of the people and the election of Alassane Ouattara as President of Côte d'Ivoire, as recognised by ECOWAS, the African Union and the rest of the international community and reiterated that UNOCI could use "all necessary measures" in its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of attack.
Heavy fighting broke out
on 31 March 2011 as forces of Alassane Ouattara
advanced on Abidjan
from several directions. The United Nations peacekeepers took control of Abidjan's airport when Gbagbo's forces abandoned it and United Nations forces were also reported to be carrying out protective security operations in the city. The UN peacekeeping mission said its headquarters were fired on by Gbabgo's special forces on 31 March, and returned fire in an exchange lasting about three hours. UN convoys have also come under attack by Gbagbo loyalists four times since 31 March, with three peacekeepers injured in one of the attacks. The peacekeepers had exchanged fire with Gbagbo loyalists in several parts of the city.
On 4 April 2011 UN and French helicopters also began firing on pro-Gbagbo military installations, a French military spokesman said the attacks were aimed at heavy artillery and armoured vehicles. Eyewitnesses reported seeing two UN Mi-24P
attack helicopters firing missiles at the Akouédo military camp in Abidjan. UN helicopters were flown by Ukrainian Ground Forces
crews seconded to the United Nations. The attacks sparked protests by a Gbagbo spokesperson, who said that such actions were "illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
defended the actions, however, saying that "the [UN] mission has taken this action in self-defence and to protect civilians." He noted that Gbagbo’s forces had fired on United Nations patrols and attacked the organization’s headquarters in Abidjan “with heavy-caliber sniper fire as well as mortars and rocket-propelled grenades,” wounding four peacekeepers. Russia
n Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia intends to look into the legitimacy of the use of force by UN peacekeepers. The position of the Russian government was that any foreign interference would only lead to increasing violence.
On 9 April, pro-Gbagbo forces were reported to have fired on the Golf Hotel, where Ouattara was located. The attackers reportedly used both sniper rifles and mortars; in response, UN peacekeepers fired on them. The following day, United Nations and French forces carried out further air strikes against Gbagbo's remaining heavy weapons, using Mi-24 and Aérospatiale Gazelle
attack helicopters. The attack was reported to have caused heavy damage to the presidential palace..
On 11 April, Ouattara's forces stormed Gbagbo's residence and arrested him. The final assault was assisted by French forces using helicopters and armoured vehicles, although the actual capture was made by Ouattara's troops. Gbagbo, his wife, son and about 50 members of his entourage were captured unharmed and were taken to the Golf Hotel, Ouattara's headquarters, where they were placed under United Nations guard.
. The Force Commander is Major-General Gnakoudè Béréna from Togo
. The Police Commissioner is Major-General Jean Marie Bourry from France.
Bangladesh, 
Benin, 
Bolivia, 
Brazil, 
Cape Verde, 
Chad, 
Mainland China, 
Ecuador, 
Egypt, 
El Salvador, 
Ethiopia, 
Early Modern France, 
Germany, 
Ghana, 
Greece, 
Guatemala, 
Guinea, 
India, 
Republic of Ireland, 
Italy, 
Jordan, 
Malawi, 
Moldova, 
Morocco, 
Namibia, 
Nepal, 
Niger, 
Nigeria, 
Pakistan, 
Paraguay, 
Peru, 
Philippines, 
Poland, 
Portugal, 
Kingdom of Romania, 
Russia, 
Senegal, 
Serbia, 
South Africa, 
South Korea, 
Sri Lanka, 
Suriname, 
Syria, 
Tanzania, 
Togo, 
Tunisia, 
Uganda, 
Uruguay, 
Vietnam, 
Yemen, 
Zambia and 
Zimbabwe.
Argentina, 
Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, 
Bhutan, 
Botswana, 
Burundi, 
Cambodia, 
Cameroon, 
Canada, 
Central African Republic, Chad, 
Chile, 
Cyprus, 
Denmark, 
Djibouti, Egypt, 
Eritrea, 
Fiji, Early Modern France, Ghana, 
Guyana, 
Indonesia, Jordan, 
Malaysia, 
Mexico, Niger, Pakistan, Serbia, 
Spain, 
Sweden, 
Switzerland, Togo, 
Turkey, 
Ukraine, Uruguay and Yemen.
Choi Young-jin
Choi Young-jin currently serves as Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire...
from Republic of Korea.
History
The mission was authorized by Security Council Resolution 1528United Nations Security Council Resolution 1528
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1528, adopted unanimously on February 27, 2004, after recalling resolutions 1464 , 1479 , 1498 , 1514 and 1527 on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire , the Council established the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire for an initial period of twelve...
on 27 February 2004 to take over from MINUCI from 4 April 2004. The mandate was subsequently extended several times, including 31 October 2008, 31 January 2010, 27 May 2010, and most recently on 20 December 2010.
In February 2006, following an appeal by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
, the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
agreed to strengthen the ONUCI forces by sending a battalion from United Nations Mission in Liberia
United Nations Mission in Liberia
The United Nations Mission in Liberia is a peace-keeping force established in September 2003 to monitor a ceasefire agreement in Liberia following the resignation of President Charles Taylor and the conclusion of the Second Liberian Civil War....
with 800-soldiers to Côte d'Ivoire. As of November 2006, the mission consisted of about 8,000 uniformed soldiers from a total of 41 countries. They have included, from the Bangladeshi Army, 56th and 57th Battalions, East Bengal Regiment
East Bengal Regiment
-History:The East Bengal Regiment was formed in 1948 following Pakistan's creation from the Partition of British Raj in South Asia. As part of the agreement, the Muslim population of what was previously known as British Empire in South Asia were given their own state of Pakistan, made up of West...
. They were deployed alongside 4,000 French soldiers of the Operation Licorne
Operation Licorne
Operation Unicorn is the name of the French Armed Forces's peacekeeping operation in support of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire. The French forces have been stationed in the country since shortly after the outbreak of the Ivorian Civil War...
intervention.
On 29 July 2008, the day before UNOCI's mandate was set to expire, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to extend its mandate to 31 January 2009 so that the peacekeepers could "support the organization of free, open, fair and transparent elections". A presidential election is planned for 2009, after numerous delays arising from postwar issues.
In January 2006, supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Koudou Gbagbo served as the fourth President of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian by profession, he is also an amateur chemist and physicist....
attacked the base of the United Nations peacekeepers after the Ivorian Popular Front
Ivorian Popular Front
The Ivorian Popular Front , known by its French initials FPI, is a centre-left, democratic socialist and social democratic, political party in Côte d'Ivoire....
withdrew from the Ivorian Civil War peace process. About 1,000 protesters invaded the UN base at Guiglo
Guiglo
Guiglo is a town in Guiglo Department of Moyen-Cavally Region in western Côte d'Ivoire. Guiglo Town is located on the Nzo River, a tributary of the Sassandra River...
.
In the aftermath of the 2010 presidential election, incumbent president Gbagbo said UNOCI troops should leave the country. However, the UN refused to do so, upon which Gbagbo's aides then said UN troops would be treated as "rebels" should they stay in the country, where they are protecting the internationally recognised though domestically disputed winner of the election.
On 30 March United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1975, adopted unanimously on March 30, 2011, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire , including resolutions 1572 , 1893 , 1911 , 1924 , 1933 , 1942 , 1946 , 1951 , 1962 , 1967 and 1968 , the Council demanded that Laurent...
was issued which, in particular, urged all Ivorian parties to respect the will of the people and the election of Alassane Ouattara as President of Côte d'Ivoire, as recognised by ECOWAS, the African Union and the rest of the international community and reiterated that UNOCI could use "all necessary measures" in its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of attack.
Heavy fighting broke out
Second Ivorian Civil War
The Second Ivorian Civil War broke out in March 2011 when the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire escalated into full-scale military conflict between forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, the President of Côte d'Ivoire since 2000, and supporters of the internationally recognised president-elect Alassane Ouattara...
on 31 March 2011 as forces of Alassane Ouattara
Alassane Ouattara
Alassane Dramane Ouattara is an Ivorian politician who has been President of Côte d'Ivoire since 2011. An economist by profession, Ouattara worked for the International Monetary Fund and the Central Bank of West African States , and he was the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire from November 1990 to...
advanced on Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
from several directions. The United Nations peacekeepers took control of Abidjan's airport when Gbagbo's forces abandoned it and United Nations forces were also reported to be carrying out protective security operations in the city. The UN peacekeeping mission said its headquarters were fired on by Gbabgo's special forces on 31 March, and returned fire in an exchange lasting about three hours. UN convoys have also come under attack by Gbagbo loyalists four times since 31 March, with three peacekeepers injured in one of the attacks. The peacekeepers had exchanged fire with Gbagbo loyalists in several parts of the city.
On 4 April 2011 UN and French helicopters also began firing on pro-Gbagbo military installations, a French military spokesman said the attacks were aimed at heavy artillery and armoured vehicles. Eyewitnesses reported seeing two UN Mi-24P
Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...
attack helicopters firing missiles at the Akouédo military camp in Abidjan. UN helicopters were flown by Ukrainian Ground Forces
Ukrainian Ground Forces
The Ukrainian Ground Forces are the land force component of the Military of Ukraine. They were formed from Soviet Army formations, units, and establishments, including three military districts , that were on Ukrainian soil when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990-92.Between the fall of the USSR and...
crews seconded to the United Nations. The attacks sparked protests by a Gbagbo spokesperson, who said that such actions were "illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
defended the actions, however, saying that "the [UN] mission has taken this action in self-defence and to protect civilians." He noted that Gbagbo’s forces had fired on United Nations patrols and attacked the organization’s headquarters in Abidjan “with heavy-caliber sniper fire as well as mortars and rocket-propelled grenades,” wounding four peacekeepers. Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia intends to look into the legitimacy of the use of force by UN peacekeepers. The position of the Russian government was that any foreign interference would only lead to increasing violence.
On 9 April, pro-Gbagbo forces were reported to have fired on the Golf Hotel, where Ouattara was located. The attackers reportedly used both sniper rifles and mortars; in response, UN peacekeepers fired on them. The following day, United Nations and French forces carried out further air strikes against Gbagbo's remaining heavy weapons, using Mi-24 and Aérospatiale Gazelle
Aérospatiale Gazelle
The Aérospatiale Gazelle is a five-seat light helicopter, powered by a single turbine engine. It was designed and manufactured in France by Sud Aviation . It was also manufactured under licence by Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom , by SOKO in Yugoslavia and ABHCO in Egypt...
attack helicopters. The attack was reported to have caused heavy damage to the presidential palace..
On 11 April, Ouattara's forces stormed Gbagbo's residence and arrested him. The final assault was assisted by French forces using helicopters and armoured vehicles, although the actual capture was made by Ouattara's troops. Gbagbo, his wife, son and about 50 members of his entourage were captured unharmed and were taken to the Golf Hotel, Ouattara's headquarters, where they were placed under United Nations guard.
Casualties
A total of 72 UN personnel have died during UNOCI, including 54 UN peacekeeping troops (this may vary because UNOCI is still an ongoing peacekeeping mission).Forces
On 28 February 2011 – 9,062 total uniformed personnel, including 7,568 troops, 177 military observers, 1,317 police, 389 international civilian personnel, 737 local staff and 257 United Nations VolunteersUnited Nations Volunteers
The United Nations Volunteers program is a United Nations organization that advocates the role and benefits of volunteerism for development, integrates volunteers into development programmes, and mobilises volunteers for development projects. It was created to be a development partner for UN...
. The Force Commander is Major-General Gnakoudè Béréna from Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
. The Police Commissioner is Major-General Jean Marie Bourry from France.
Military personnel
Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chad, Mainland China, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Early Modern France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Malawi, Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Kingdom of Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Police personnel
Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Fiji, Early Modern France, Ghana, Guyana, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Niger, Pakistan, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay and Yemen.