5 September – A United Nations envoy is in Côte d’Ivoire for talks with
government and opposition leaders in a bid to stem the outbreak of
violence in the West African country, a UN spokesman said in New York
today.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s new Special Representative for West
Africa, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, held a meeting yesterday with President
Laurent Gbagbo, during which the envoy urged moderation and dialogue as
a means to resolve the situation.

Today, Mr. Ould-Abdallah met with both government and opposition
leaders, including Alassane Ouattara and former President Henri Konan
Bedie.

“He is meeting as many people as possible, including the UN country team
and members of the diplomatic community,” spokesman Fred Eckhard told a
press briefing.

On the humanitarian side, a team comprising UN relief agencies and
non-governmental organizations is in the process of assessing the number
and condition of people displaced within Abidjan, a major urban centre.
Meanwhile, similar missions are planned for affected areas like Bouake
and Korhogo as soon as security conditions allowed, the spokesman said.

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