Gbagbo Withdraws UN Radio Licence

Gbagbo Withdraws UN Radio Licence

The Ivorian government in Abidjan has withdrew the broadcast right of the UN transmission station, ONUCI FM.

The right was granted in 2004 by the government when the UN began its peacekeeping role after two years of civil war.

The FM station was set up to create awareness on peace and civic obligations.

The withdrawal notice was released by the National Council of Audio Visual Communication and announced on the Ivorian state television, RTI.

“The frequencies allocated to ONUCI under the implementation of its mandate in Cote d'Ivoire have been withdrawn,” the state television announced.

A spokesman for the UN Operations in Abidjan , Amadou Toure, said that the UN had not received any instructions to stop operating the FM station.

“I heard it on the news broadcast as well,” he said.

The ONUCI FM was still on air as at Thursday.

The Laurent Gbagbo-led government has been pitted against the UN since it endorsed Alassane Ouattara as the winner of the 2010 presidential election.

Gbagbo directed the UN Mission to leave Cote d'Ivoire in December 2010, accusing it of bias.

NAN/Margaret/Yinka