Key developments since May 2005: Côte d’Ivoire indicated that it is not mine-affected, despite recent armed conflict. The United Nations peacekeeping mission and French forces carried out 18 operations to dispose of unexploded ordnance. Two children were killed by unexploded ordnance in 2005.
Côte d’Ivoire signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997. It ratified the treaty on 30 June 2000, and became a State Party on 1 December 2000. Côte d’Ivoire has not enacted national legal measures to implement the treaty, reportedly due to the political instability of the country. However, an official stated in March 2006 that a draft bill was being reviewed by the office of the Prime Minister and was expected to be submitted to the National Assembly next.[1] In its 25 April 2006 Article 7 transparency report, Côte d’Ivoire stated, “Legislation for domestication of Landmine Ban Treaty to follow.”[2] This was Côte d’Ivoire’s third Article 7 report; it was unchanged from the previous year’s report.[3]
Côte d’Ivoire attended the Sixth Meeting of States Parties in Zagreb, Croatia in November-December 2005, but did not make a statement. It also participated in the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in Geneva in June 2005 and May 2006.
Côte d’Ivoire has reported that it has never produced or exported antipersonnel mines and has no stockpile, even for training purposes.[4] In March 2006, a French explosives engineer with the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) confirmed that he had never seen landmines in the arms stockpiles there.[5]
In March 2006, a defense official reiterated that the national army has never used mines.[6] A commander with the former rebel group New Forces stated they had not used mines either.[7] A spokesperson for UNOCI also said that, to its knowledge, no mines had been laid.[8]
In its 2006 Article 7 report, Côte d’Ivoire indicated that it is not mine-affected.[9] In March 2006, the French NGO Handicap International (HI) confirmed that no mines or mine incidents have been reported over the last two years, despite the upsurges in armed violence. HI does, however, note that some unexploded ordnance (UXO) have resulted from fighting between the army and rebels over the last three years.[10]
In 2005, UNOCI and the French force known as Force Licorne conducted operations to clear rockets and other UXO resulting from the last three years of conflict. According to HI, 18 explosive ordnance disposal operations were conducted in 2005.
Following casualties resulting from UXO during 2005, UNOCI and Force Licorne started a campaign in Bouaflé on 1 September to raise awareness of the risks of UXO.[11]
On 10 July 2005, two children were killed by UXO at Diegalfla village, 150 kilometers from the town of Daloa.[12] Landmine Monitor has not recorded any other casualties since a soldier was injured by UXO in 2003.[13] No incidents were recorded in January-May 2006.
The health and humanitarian situation has been in steady decline in Côte d’Ivoire since the 2002 coup. There is a public health system, but many of the public health staff have moved to the private sector.[14] In 2005 and 2006, access to healthcare was difficult for vulnerable people in New Forces-controlled areas. In the west and north, approximately 70 to 80 percent of the 547 health facilities are closed, whereas facilities in the south are over-stretched due to those displaced by the war. Health facilities have also been affected by fuel shortages and energy cuts.[15]
There is a small number of foreign-trained disability specialists. There is a lack of disability awareness, adapted infrastructure and financial resources. There are very limited education opportunities for people with disabilities and vocational training for people with disabilities does not exist.[16]
HI supports two rehabilitation centers, one in Bouaké, and the Standing Tall Rehabilitation Centre (Centre de Réadaptation Physique Vivre Debout) in Abidjan. The center in Bouaké provides physiotherapy sessions to an average of 103 people per month; it provided 2,592 sessions from June to September 2005. From September 2005, HI provided technical support and training to orthopedic technicians at the Abidjan center. In 2005, the center produced 261 prostheses, 297 orthoses and 181 other types of orthopedic appliances. It is not known if there were any mine/UXO survivors among the beneficiaries of the centers.[17]
In September 2005 the Japanese Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire donated CFA Franc 42,952,064 (US$81,389) to the Standing Tall Rehabilitation Centre for the expansion of their building; construction was completed in December.[18]
The Ministry of Solidarity, Social Security and Disabled and the Federation of the Disabled are responsible for disability issues. There are laws for the protection of the rights of people with disabilities; however, implementation of concrete measures is reportedly lacking. Begging in the streets is common among people with disabilities.[19]
[1] Interview with Capt. Patrick-Alexandre M’Bahia, Commander, Training and Improvement Group, National Gendarmerie, Abidjan, 22 March 2006. Capt. M’Bahia is also a member of the commission in charge of drafting the national implementation legislation.
[2] Article 7 Report, Form A, 25 April 2006. It used the same language in its April 2005 report.
[3] Previous reports were submitted on 27 April 2005 (for 31 May 2004-31 March 2005) and 27 May 2004 (for 1 May 2003-31 March 2004). The initial report was three years late. Landmine Monitor received a Côte d'Ivoire Article 7 report dated 9 May 2001 (for 9 May 2001-31 December 2001); however it was never formally submitted to the UN. See Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 207.
[4] Article 7 Report, Forms B, D and E, 27 May 2004.
[5] Interview with Adjutant Chief Penet, explosives engineer, UNOCI, Yamoussoukro, 24 March 2006.
[6] Interview with Capt. Patrick-Alexandre M’Bahia, National Gendarmerie, Abidjan, 22 March 2006. In 2002, rebels accused army forces of laying mines imported from Angola, but no evidence has been found to support the allegation. See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 361.
[7] Interview with Cr. Koffi Ferdinand, Communications Director, Armed Forces of the New Forces, Bouaké, 28 March 2006. New Forces is the name adopted by the former rebel group Patriotic Movement for Côte d’Ivoire. New Forces was part of the national unity government as of March 2006.
[8] Interview with Col. Olmar El Khadir, military spokesman, UNOCI, Abidjan, 22 March 2006.
[9] Article 7 Report, Form C, 25 April 2006.
[10] Email from Stéphane Brossard, Programme Manager, HI, Abidjan, 14 March 2006.
[11] “Destruction des roquettes et autres munitions non explosées: l’ONUCI et la Licorne sensibilisent les populations,” Notre Voie, 6 Octobre 2005.
[12] “UN Peacekeepers in Côte d’Ivoire teach how to avoid unexploded munitions,” UN News, New York, 1 September 2005; email to Landmine Monitor from Stéphane Brossard, HI, 14 March 2006.
[13] See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 362.
[14] HI, “Côte d’Ivoire: Country Strategy Analysis,” (internal document), 2005, pp. 12-15.
[15] World Health Organization (WHO), “Côte D’Ivoire: Health Sector Assessment,” February 2006, p. 1; WHO, “Situation in Côte d’Ivoire,” February 2006, www.who.int, accessed 19 May 2006.
[16] HI, “Côte d’Ivoire: Country Strategy Analysis,” (internal document), 2005, pp. 12-15.
[17] Email from Stéphane Brossard, HI, 15 March 2006; Centre de Réadaptation Physique Vivre Debout, “Rapport d’Activités 2005.”
[18] Centre de Réadaptation Physique Vivre Debout, “Rapport d’Activités 2005.” Average exchange rate for 2005: US$1 = CFA Franc (CFA Franc BCEAO) XOF527.73842. Landmine Monitor estimate based on www.oanda.com.
[19] US Department of State, “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices–2005: Côte D’Ivoire,” 8 March 2006.