UN assures Cote d'Ivoire’s Gbagbo of  security

UN assures Cote d'Ivoire’s Gbagbo of  security

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Côte d’Ivoire, Young-Jin Choi, has assured the former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, of the availability of the UN operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) to contribute to providing security for him.

Young-Jin gave the promise on Monday when he visited Gbagbo in Korhogo, 600 kilometres north of Abidjan, according to a statement.

The special representative said: “In Abidjan or anywhere else in Côte d’Ivoire, there will always be UNOCI peacekeepers contributing to his protection. UNOCI will do everything to ensure that he is treated with dignity,”

The statement, signed by the ONUCI spokesman, Ahmadou Toure, said, it was  the second time that the Special Representative was visiting the former Ivorian president since he was captured on April 11, 2011. 

Gbagbo was arrested by forces loyal to President Alassane Ouattara for refusing to hand over power after losing an election.

NAN/Williams