UN approves new troops for Ivory Coast, threatens sanctions

Jan 19, 2011, 19:37 GMT

   New York - The UN Security Council authorized on Wednesday the deployment of an additional 2,000 peacekeepers to Ivory Coast after expressing 'deep concern' over human rights abuses and attacks on the UN mission in the African country.

The 15-nation council also decided that it is ready to impose targeted sanctions against Ivory Coast officials who obstruct the work of the UN mission (UNOCI) in that country.

The council unanimously approved the deployment of the new troops, a move intended to strengthen the UN mission in Ivory Coast, currently comprised of 9,000 military, police and civilian personnel.

   UNOCI was deployed in 2002 to monitor a ceasefire agreement by Ivory Coast's parties that ended their civil war. But the agreement split the country into a government-held south and rebel-led north and the UN had hoped that the presidential election in November would reunite the country under one leader.

   The resolution adopted by the council to deploy the troops called for the parties to scrupulously abide by obligations to respect the safety and ensure freedom of movement of UNOCI and French troops supporting the UN efforts in Ivory Coast.

The UN has come under increasing armed attacks and media propaganda by supporters of Laurent Gbagbo, who lost the presidency in the November 28 elections to rival Alassane Ouattara. Gbagbo refused to step down and instead mounted attacks against the UN, which recognizes Ouattara as the new leader.

The UN special envoy for Ivory Coast, Choi Youngjin, said Tuesday that Gbagbo's security forces and supporters have become 'very, very hostile' to the UN.

Gbagbo forces have been accused of human rights violations and the deaths of close to 300 people opposed to his continued leadership.