There seems to be a move between warring factions in Côte d’Ivoire to carry out a peace plan that is backed by the United Nations, South African Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota said on Saturday.
The parties also hope to hold elections in October, Lekota said after returning from an UN International Working Group (IWC) meeting, which he attended on South Africa’s behalf.
South Africa is a mediator appointed by the African Union in the conflict.
”There is a very new spirit between the parties and it has to do with the meeting the Ivorian parties had themselves in Yamoussoukro earlier this year,” Lekota said.
He was referring to the February meeting between interim Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny and the leader of the New Forces, the largest rebel group, Guillaume Soro.
Soro also attended the IWC meeting on Banny’s invitation and he told delegates that he is committed to the peace plan and supports Banny’s vision to be implemented.
With just more than four months left to the election scheduled for October 31, the biggest outstanding issues remain the disarmament of fighters and establishing the nationality of those who claim Ivorian citizenship.
On both issues there has been some movement. Containment camps for the disarmament process have been set up and an initial number of 3 177 people have claimed Ivorian citizenship.
But there is still the issue of pro-government militias that have ignored several deadlines to start the disarmament process.
Banny, however, asked the IWC to allow Ivorians to continue with the process without outside interference.
This view is supported by South Africa, pitched against some West African nations and France that appear to be doubtful that the election scheduled for October will take place.
”The urgent question is to drive for as much progress on the peace plan than possible and not debate what happens if the deadline is not reached.
”This would only create an atmosphere where parties could give up, saying the election would not be held in October in any case,” Lekota said.
Côte d’Ivoire has been divided since 2002 when a coup against Laurent Gbagbo failed and rebels seized the northern part of the country with government forces controlling the south.
A few thousand UN peacekeepers, including South Africans, and French troops hold the security zone between the two forces. — Sapa