Côte d’Ivoire’s Ouattara inaugurated as President

Côte d’Ivoire’s Ouattara inaugurated as President

Alassane Ouattara has been formally inaugurated as the new President of Côte d’Ivoire at a colourful ceremony in the nation’s political capital Yamoussoukro.

The UN secretary general, Ban ki Moon and other notable heads of state and president were in Yamoussoukro for the event.

Ban Ki Moon participation was in light of the special circumstances surrounding the installation of the democratically elected Government in Côte d’Ivoire.
The Secretary-General is scheduled to visit Abidjan to meet with the peacekeepers and staff of the UN Mission there. He will also visit a camp for internally displaced people.

Ban Ki Moon will also meet the African leaders to discuss regional issues as well as the security, development and human rights agenda in Africa.

Other itinerary

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Secretary-General will visit a rural health extension programme in Ethiopia, where young women were trained to serve their communities’ health needs, seen as a model for the continent.

In addition, he will meet with women and children in their homes and at a health post and hospital, to witness the accomplishments and understand the challenges facing the achievement of the Every Woman, Every Child goals.

The Secretary-General will then travel to the G8 Summit in Deauville, France, where he will meet with leaders of the G8 and continue to push for a sustained focus on women’s and children’s health as a cornerstone of the development agenda.

While in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, the Secretary-General will also meet with the Foreign Minister and the Chair of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In Addis Ababa, the Secretary-General will meet with the Prime Minister and other leaders attending the India-Africa Forum Summit.

Ouattara had on Thursday asked the International Criminal Court to probe allegations of serious human rights crimes during the violent post-election power struggle.

The request may shine a light on abuses committed by both sides during the conflict, sparked by Laurent Gbagbo's refusal to cede power, which killed thousands and displaced more than a million.

PR/Qasim