Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), concluded today a two-day visit to Côte d'Ivoire.

This visit which is part of UNOWAS's good offices missions in the sub-region aimed at continuing consultations with the authorities and exchanging views with key Ivorian stakeholders on various issues at national and regional levels, and at strengthening United Nations support to Côte d'Ivoire.

During his visit, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations met, inter alia, with the Vice-President of Côte d'Ivoire, Daniel Kablan Duncan, the President of the Senate, Jeannot Kouadio Ahoussou, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Amadou Soumahoro and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marcel Amon Tanoh. Mr. Ibn Chambas also had discussions with representatives of political parties, civil society and the United Nations Country Team, as well as the diplomatic corps.

The role that plays Côte d'Ivoire in consolidating peace and stability in the subregion is crucial

During his various meetings, Mohamed Ibn Chambas recalled the importance of the position of Côte d'Ivoire in the sub-region and beyond. " the role that plays Côte d'Ivoire in consolidating peace and stability in the subregion is crucial," he stressed.

In this regard, he commended Côte d'Ivoire's continued efforts as a non-permanent member of the Security Council and its contribution to United Nations peacekeeping operations.

At the national level, the discussions enabled the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to measure the efforts made by the Ivorian authorities, as well as political and civil society actors, to further consolidate democracy and development in Cote d’Ivoire.

"The presidential elections scheduled for 2020 are a major step in the consolidation of peace, democracy and development. I encourage all political actors to continue to work together in a calm and peaceful atmosphere to achieve the aspirations of the Ivorian people, " said Mohamed Ibn Chambas before leaving the capital Abidjan today.