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UN envoy gets first-hand look at volatile western Côte d'Ivoire

25 April – Continuing an eight-day mission to evaluate the current humanitarian conditions in Côte d'Ivoire, the United Nations envoy for the crisis today left Abidjan to visit the volatile western part of the country, where tens of thousands of internally displaced people are sheltered.

Since fighting broke out after the emergence of two new rebel groups in western Côte d'Ivoire late last November, access to populations in need of aid has been hampered. Carolyn McAskie, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's humanitarian envoy for the crisis headed to the towns of Man and Guiglo to get a first-hand look at the situation there.

During her visit, Ms. McAskie expressed deep concern over reported civilian casualties due to fighting and helicopter attacks. Non-governmental organizations in the region have reported that at least 50 civilians claiming to be victims of attacks on 15 April were treated at the Hospital of Man, and at least eight died. Unaligned and uncontrolled armed groups in the west further jeopardize civilian safety.

She also deplored the attack on and subsequent pillaging of the Burulli Ulcer Centre in Zouan-Hounien, close to the border with Liberia, where Catholic priests treated victims of a disfiguring skin disease. "Such indiscriminate targeting of civilians, and of medical facilities, is entirely unacceptable," she said. "The protection of civilians is the over-riding concern."

As sporadic violence and persistent reports of human rights abuses temper hopes that peace may finally be taking root in Côte d'Ivoire, humanitarian organizations say they are concerned that delivering food and other supplies could make them the targets of armed elements.

Ms. McAskie will participate in the launch on Monday of the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal to meet basic humanitarian needs in Côte d'Ivoire and five neighbouring countries. This new appeal covers a longer term and is more comprehensive than the Flash Appeal issued last November. Humanitarian agencies received 41.5 per cent of the $22 million in funding required under that Appeal.