The United Nations on Wednesday expressed concern at recent remarks by politicians in Côte d’Ivoire threatening to boycott the ongoing fragile peace process, and appealed to all parties to stay the course.
”The UN is launching solemn appeal to all players in the crisis to maintain their engagement and their participation in the peace process, outside which no viable or durable solution is possible,” the UN said.
The appeal came after rebels controlling the north of the country on Tuesday announced they were pulling out of vital disarmament talks in protest at rule changes of a contentious pre-election voter-identification scheme.
The UN said the ongoing stages in the peace processes ”are still fragile and deserve to be consolidated by all the political players in the country”.
It appealed to all sides to turn to dialogue to overcome their disagreements.
The start of the population-identification exercise last month stirred renewed tension in the West African country, which has been split in two since a failed rebel coup attempt against President Laurent Gbagbo in 2002.
Forces loyal to Gbagbo were opposed to the identification scheme, sparking violent clashes and angry protests, but last week they agreed to lift their boycott after agreeing new guidelines to the process.
Gbagbo loyalists feared rebels in the north may try to claim Ivorian citizenship for millions of immigrants who could vote against Gbagbo in the presidential election.
However, rebels were angry at the changes and threatened to withdraw from disarmament talks.
Under a UN plan, the cocoa-rich West African country should hold presidential polls by October 31 after completion of the identification and disarmament schemes. — Sapa-AFP