Côte d'Ivoire
Historical Chronology

The Council renewed the mandate of UNOCI and the French troops supporting it until 31 January 2009 (S/RES/1826).

The Secretary-General submitted a report on progress achieved in implementing the major objectives set out in the  Ouagadougou peace accord  and its supplementary agreements.

9 to 10 June 2008

A Council mission visited Côte d’Ivoire where it met key parties and partners on the ground. During the visit, it expressed support for the peace process and encouraged the parties to ensure a conducive environment for the holding of free, open and fair elections in November. The Council delegation also recalled the importance of certification of all stages of the electoral process by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General.

14 May 2008

192 FN ex-combatants received diplomas from the UN after completing a disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programme, including a course in cooperative management, at Ferkessédougou in northern Côte d’Ivoire.

3 May 2008

1,000 Forces nouvelles rebels gathered at a demobilisation centre in the northern city of Bouaké to commence active disarmament. 

29 April 2008

The Secretary-General visited Côte d’Ivoire.  He reaffirmed the UN’s continued support and encouraged key political actors to continue making progress.  

25 March 2008

Election certification criteria proposed by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Côte d'Ivoire were welcomed by the Ivorian parties and promulgated.

17 March 2008   

UNOCI transferred control of three disarmament facilities, which had been under the de facto control of the rebel Forces Nouvelles, in the country's northern region to the Ivorian government as part of the DDR effort.

3 to 12 March 2008

A technical assessment mission visited Côte d’Ivoire  to assess progress in preparing for elections and options for the mission in supporting the remaining tasks under the Ouagadougou Agreement.

28 February 2008

UNOCI's electoral assistance division announced that UNOCI had repaired almost 90 percent of polling stations across Côte d'Ivoire ahead of the national presidential elections planned for June.

Mid-February 2008

The 2007 annual UN report on children in armed conflict was issued, indicating that Cote d'Ivoire had been taken off the UN Secretary-General's global list of child recruiters because militias and other armed groups were said to have stopped recruiting children in their ranks.

23 January 2008

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative (SRSG) to Côte d’Ivoire, Choi Young-Jin, and President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, facilitator of the Ivorian peace process, met  in Ouagadougou to discuss ways of accelerating the peace process underway in Côte d’Ivoire to end the crisis that has divided the country between the rebel-held north and government-controlled south since 2002. 

15 January 2008

The Council adopted resolution 1795, which renewed UNOCI and the French forces which support it until 30 July 2008.

2 January 2008

The Secretary-General reported that while security and political conditions in Côte d’Ivoire had improved in recent months, those gains were fragile in light of the slow progress in achieving key benchmarks of the Ouagadougou Agreement, including those concerning the dismantling of militias and disarming ex-combatants.

22 December 2007

The disarmament process was resumed.

28 November 2007

Two supplementary agreements to the Ouagadougou Agreement were signed between President Laurent Gbagbo and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro (leader of the former rebel Forces Nouvelles) which, among other things, called for the disarmament process to begin by 22 December and set a new date for national elections to be held by the end of June 2008.

21 November 2007

Newly appointed Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Côte d'Ivoire, Choi Young-Jin (Republic of Korea) assumed his duties.

29 October 2007

The Council renewed the mandate of the Group of Experts and the sanctions regime until 31 October 2008 (S/RES/1782).

18 October 2007

The Secretary-General appointed Choi Young-jin of Korea as his Special Representative for Cote d'Ivoire.   

17 October 2007

The Group of Experts on Côte d'Ivoire reported resistance to embargo inspections as well as discrepancies between declared and actual armaments of the government and the Forces Nouvelles.

1 October 2007

The Secretary-General's UNOCI report expressed concern with the failure of the parties to adhere to the timetable established by the Ouagadougou Agreement

26 September 2007

In his speech to the General Assembly, President Gbagbo called for a partial lifting of the weapons embargo and the current Council sanctions on three Ivorian individuals. He also called for a downward revision of the country's UN security ratings from phase III since it "no longer reflected the reality" of the prevailing situation.

(week of) 24 September 2007

Public identity hearings commenced.

16 September 2007

The last international checkpoint in the "zone of confidence" separating belligerents from the northern and southern parts of the country was dismantled and replaced by a "green line" to be monitored by UNOCI.

early-September 2007

A UN team travelled to Côte d'Ivoire to follow up on the international investigation into the attack in Bouaké on 29 June against the aircraft transporting Prime Minister Soro. 

30 July 2007

A "flame of peace" was lit in the town of Bouaké, a strong-hold of former Forces Nouvelles rebel group.  President Laurent Gbagbo and the Forces Nouvelles leader, Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, officially launched the process by setting fire to stockpiled weapons.

Mid-July 2007

The UN suspended a Moroccan peacekeeping contingent on allegations of sexual exploitation in the area of operations and initiated an internal investigation. 

16 July 2007

Resolution 1765 renewed UNOCI's mandate until 15 January 2008 to support elections and the full implementation of the Ouagadougou agreement. It also terminated the mandate of the High Representative for Elections, Gérard Stoudmann. 

5 July 2007

The Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Abou Moussa, met with the facilitator of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, President Blaise Campoaré of Burkina Faso, in Ouagadougou to assist in ensuring full implementation of the peace process in the wake of the attack on Soro.

29 June 2007 

Tthe Council adopted a rollover resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) until 16 July to give itself some extra time to come up with measures that would adequately address the new situation on the ground and that would incorporate the Council's thinking following the trip to the country.

29 June 2007 

Prime Minister Guillaume Soro's aircraft came under attack as it came in to land in the northern Ivorian city of Bouaké, the headquarters of his former rebel group.  Four people were killed and a number injured from the attack but Prime Minister Soro emerged unhurt.  The United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire subsequently endorsed the Prime Minister's call for an independent international inquiry into the incident.

20 June 2007 

The Council adopted resolution 1761 (2007) extending the mandate of the sanctions implementation Group of Experts until 31 October. 

19 June 2007

A Council meeting with President Laurent Gbagbo calmed concerns that the UN would be blocked from supervising elections.

18-19 June 2007

A Council mission visited Cote d'Ivoire to assess the progress of the peace process in the country and exchange views with the Ivorian parties on how to move forward the peace process.

17 May 2007 

Government militias started to disarm.

14 May 2007

The Secretary-General's report on the future UN role in Côte d'Ivoire in light of the Ouagadougou Agreement was published.

16 April 2007

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported almost daily attacks against civilians in the former "zone of confidence" and serious concern that civilians are now left defenceless by the redeployment of the impartial forces.

13 April 2007

The International Working Group (IWG) met in Abidjan and expressed readiness to support the Ouagadougou agreement. It also called for consultations on its future status with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union with a view to making recommendations to the Security Council.

10 to 20 April 2007

A UN technical assessment mission visited Côte d'Ivoire to determine expectations of the UN role in implementing the Ouagadougou agreement, how the UN could respond to those expectations, and develop recommendations for a possible new concept of operations and future drawdown of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI).

11 April 2007

The Defence and Security Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FDS-CI), the Armed Forces of the Forces nouvelles (FAFN), the commanders of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French Licorne forces signed a quadripartite agreement to eliminate the buffer zone known as the zone of confidence as of 16 April.

Early April 2007 

New Ivorian Prime Minister Guillaume Soro formed a government comprising thirty-one ministers, including eleven ministers from President Laurent Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), seven from the rebel Forces nouvelles and five from each of the two leading opposition parties (the Rally of Republicans of Alassane Ouattara, and the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire of Henri Bédié).

28 March 2007

The Council on  adopted a presidential statement endorsing the Ouagadougou agreement

26 March 2007

President Gbagbo and Guillaume Soro signed an additional agreement through which they decided to designate Soro as the new interim prime minister. The African Union endorsed this agreement on 29 March.

4 March 2007

President Gbagbo and Soro signed the Ouagadougou peace agreement under the aegis of Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaoré, which sets a new timetable for organising elections in Côte d'Ivoire and reuniting the country.

5 February 2007

Preliminary talks for the direct dialogue between President Gbagbo and Soro started in Ouagadougou.

January 2007

President Gbagbo's proposal for direct talks was welcomed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and by the African Union as long as the talks remained within the framework of resolution 1721.  

19 December 2006

President Gbagbo announced his own plan to end the political crisis based on direct negotiations with the rebels and the elimination of the zone of confidence.

1 November 2006

The Council endorsed the decision by the African Union to extend by one final year the mandates of the Ivorian president and of the prime minister in resolution 1721. The resolution also reinforced the prime minister's powers and the role of the international community in the Ivorian peace process.

31 October 2006

Presidential elections were called off.  

17 October 2006

The African Union Peace and Security Council extended President Gbagbo's mandate by one year, during which time the roadmap should be fully implemented, and replaced President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa with the African Union Chairman as mediator.

20 September 2006

A mini-summit took place in New York between the Secretary-General, regional leaders and Ivorian opposition leaders in order to evaluate ways to implement the roadmap, but without results since President Gbagbo boycotted the summit (as well as the UN General Assembly meeting).

23 August 2006

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Côte d'Ivoire, Pierre Schori, said that for technical reasons relating to non-compliance with the roadmap, it was no longer possible in practice to hold an election on 31 October.  

4 August 2006

Because too few weapons were being surrendered, the disarmament process for pro-government militia groups in the west was suspended. 

12 July 2006

The presidential party (FPI, Front populaire ivoirien) called for a boycott of the voter identification hearings which sparked bloody demonstrations by the Young Patriots (a militia close to President Gbagbo) who blockaded various cities to prevent the UN from proceeding with the identification process. 

5 July 2006

The UN Secretary-General organised a meeting in Yamoussoukro with all Ivorian parties and regional leaders to press ahead with the implementation of the roadmap to the elections. A communique was adopted.  

23 May 2006

The pre-cantonment of the government forces and rebel forces (Forces nouvelles) started.

Early April 2006

Disarmament talks among rebels and army chiefs started, under the mediation of the African Union Chairman, Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso. It was decided that both disarmament and identification be conducted in parallel.

7 March 2006

The Independent Electoral Commission became operational after a prolonged conflict over its composition. 

28 February 2006

For the first time since the 2002 rebellion, talks were held in Côte d'Ivoire between President Gbagbo, Guillaume Soro and the two main opposition leaders, Henri Konan Bédié (Parti démocratique de Côte d'Ivoire) and Alassane Ouattara (Rassemblement des républicains), under the aegis of Prime Minister Banny. While the parties did not reach a formal agreement or a timeline for the disarmament process, their final communiqué stated that Council resolution 1633 did not contradict the Ivorian constitution. The parties agreed to meet frequently.

January 2006

A wave of violent protest against the UN was led by the Young Patriots. In response to the violence, the Council implemented individual sanctions against two followers of President Gbagbo and one commander of the Forces nouvelles.

4 December 2005

Charles Konan Banny, the governor of the Central Bank of West Africa States, was appointed interim prime minister by the mediators.

8 November 2005

The first meeting of the newly established International Working Group was held.

31 October 2005

Presidential elections were cancelled.

21 October 2005

The Council, in resolution 1633, endorsed the previous African Union decision, extended President Gbagbo's term by one year, decided that a new prime minister acceptable to all parties and with executive powers should be designated, established a roadmap for disarmament, identification and organisation of elections supervised by an International Working Group responsible for the evaluation and monitoring of the peace process, and strengthened the threat of individual sanctions for spoilers.

6 October 2005

The African Union decided to extend Gbagbo's mandate by twelve months.

1 August 2005

Forces nouvelles announced that they were not ready to move to the next stage in the disarmament process.

29 June 2005

The Declaration on the Implementation of the Pretoria Agreement on the peace-process in Côte d'Ivoire was signed in Pretoria under the auspices of the African Union.

11 April 2005

Pretoria Peace Agreement was signed by all Ivorian parties. The Agreement reinforced the terms of the previous two agreements and stipulated that elections would be held in October 2005.

15 November 2004

The Council adopted resolution 1572, which imposed an arms embargo as well as sanctions restricting travel and freezing assets of all persons designated by the Sanctions Committee who posed a threat to the peace process.

9 November 2004

African Union mediation initiative led by President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa began.

6 November 2004

The national armed forces of Côte d'Ivoire attacked the French Licorne forces. The Council condemned the attacks and confirmed that French forces and the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) were authorised to use all necessary means to fully carry out their mandate.

30 July 2004

The Accra III Agreement, which consolidated the implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, was signed.

27 February 2004

The Council adopted resolution 1528 establishing UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI). The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) forces and the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire's (MINUCI) authority was transferred to the new mission.

13 May 2003

The Council adopted resolution 1479 establishing the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (MINUCI) with a mandate to facilitate the implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement and of the ceasefire. 

March 2003

A government of national reconciliation was formed with members from the rebel ranks and a consensus prime minister, Seydou Diarra.

24 January 2003

The Linas-Marcoussis Agreement was signed between the Ivorian government and all political forces, under French initiative.

19 September 2002

A mutiny in Abidjan by army officers protesting their demobilisation grew into full-scale rebellion. The rebels seized control of the north.

March 2001

Alassane Ouattara's party won local elections, which led to a call for fresh presidential and legislative elections.

October 2000

Presidential elections were held. Ouattara was banned from running on the basis that he was of foreign descent. Robert Gueï proclaimed himself president after announcing that he had won the elections but was forced to flee in the wake of a popular uprising. Laurent Gbagbo, believed to be the real winner, was declared president. Fighting erupted between Gbagbo's mainly southern Christian supporters and Ouattara's mainly northern Muslim followers.

December 1999

President Bédié was overthrown in a military coup led by General Robert Gueï.

1995

The concept of "Ivority" was used for the first time by President Bédié. Although it originally referred to the common cultural identity of all those living in Côte d'Ivoire - especially foreigners who represent one third of the population-he changed it to mean population of Ivorian descent. For political purposes, before the 2000 presidential elections, a law drafted by the government required both parents of a presidential candidate to be born within Côte d'Ivoire. This led to the disqualification of the candidate Alassane Ouattara, representing the predominantly Muslim north, where poor immigrant workers from Mali and Burkina Faso often reside.

1993

Henri Konan Bédié became president.

1960

France granted independence to Côte d'Ivoire under President Felix Houphouët-Boigny, who held power until he died in 1993.