UN Approves Cote D'Ivoire Election Results

UN Approves Cote D'Ivoire Election Results

The head of the United Nations mission in Cote D'Ivoire has validated the country's first-round election results, saying any irregularities could not have affected the outcome.

UN Mission Chief, Y.J. Choi was required to sign off on the results according to accords reached to end the political crisis, which was sparked by a 2002-2003 civil war that split the world's top cocoa grower in two.

Addressing a news conference on Friday, Choi said that the process leading to the proclamation of the final results was determined through a fair and transparent process, after a thorough analysis and evaluation of the final results of the first round.

Choi said that any errors or irregularities were ''of such a minor nature as to affect in no significant way the overall results of the election.''

The results of the October 31 first round put incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo on 38 percent and challenger Allassane Ouattara on 32 percent, meaning the pair will now face each other in a run-off slated for November 28 .

Henri Konan Bedie, who came third with 25 percent of the vote, challenged the results of the vote before they were even announced.

The country's constitutional court rejected the challenge and Bedie has since thrown his weight behind Ouattara.

REUTERS/Aisha/Yinka