Report of the Group of Experts on Côte d'Ivoire on the implementation of paragraph 2 of Security Council resolution 1761 (2006)
Summary
During its investigations, the Group of Experts observed a lack of understanding on the part of certain Ivorian political authorities who believed that, with the signing of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement on 4 March 2007, their mission was out of step with the current reconciliation process. A similar attitude was detected, in particular in the military under the command of the Defence and Security Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FDS-CI), during the embargo inspections carried out by the impartial forces, for which permission is being refused with increasing frequency.
To illustrate the difficulties encountered by the impartial forces in carrying out surveillance of the embargo on arms and related materiel, the Group also noted the discrepancy between the weapons lists provided by FDS-CI and the Defence and Security Forces of Forces nouvelles (FDS-FN) and their real capacities. A case concerning RGD-5 grenades noted during an inspection is included as an example.
The experts investigated an order for Imperial Armour equipment by the National Police. The Group was able to obtain some information on the delivery of this equipment, although it did not have the full cooperation of the police authorities who, after categorically denying having received the equipment, agreed, at the experts' insistence, to submit an incomplete purchase order, together with a sample of the shipment.
The experts were interested in the status of the Ivorian air fleet in general and the Mi-24 (TU-VHO) helicopter grounded since October 2006 in particular, and in the presence of foreign technicians.
In the area of natural resources management, the Group held meetings, for the first time, with the heads of three out of four quasi-Government agencies in the coffee and cocoa sector (Coffee and Cocoa Regulatory Authority (ARCC), Coffee and Cocoa Marketing Exchange (BCC), and Financial Regulation Fund (FRC)), arranged through the efforts of His Excellency the Ambassador of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations, and confirms the lack of transparency in the management of revenue in the coffee and cocoa and hydrocarbons sectors.
The Group conducted investigations into the application of individual sanctions. In this connection, it focused, in particular, on a case involving the violation of the provisions of paragraph 11 of resolution 1572 (2004).
The Group also continued its investigation into possible violations of the embargo on diamond exports. It uncovered evidence of persistent activity in the Tortiya and Séguéla mining areas. Also, many dealers confirmed the use of Malian smuggling rings to move Ivorian diamonds out of the country.
The experts welcome the cooperation of the Kimberley Process and its efforts to encourage participating States to introduce further improvements in their internal control systems.
