OCHA update on humanitarian situation in Côte d'Ivoire 04 Nov 2002

(United Nations, 4 November 2002): The situation in Côte d'Ivoire remains fragile and tense, and the humanitarian situation is of increasing concern. In Abidjan, shantytowns continue to be demolished and their populations displaced. The situation could deteriorate into a large-scale humanitarian crisis, resulting in massive displacement of people in the country and possible outflow of migrant workers into neighboring countries. Côte d'Ivoire is host to some four million migrant workers.
In Yamoussoukro and its environs, the main concern is with the capacity of the current informal transit sites to sustain their level of assistance to the average of 3,000 people passing through daily in search of relief prior to continuing on to Abidjan, the country's economic capital. So far, no reports have been received of IDPs arriving in Abidjan without having family members to host them. However, the continued arrival of displaced family members from the war zone may place additional strain on families in Abidjan.

The Red Cross, NGOs and the United Nations have continued their operations in Bouake including several assessment missions. Bouake is home to some 400,000 people; shops and banks are closed, and there is little transport available. While minimal health services and some food aid are being provided to populations in Bouake and its environs, UN relief agencies remain cautious about the security conditions for permanent presence in the war zone beyond Yamoussoukro. WFP estimates that as many as 44,000 people will benefit from food aid in Bouake.UNICEF recently delivered emergency relief supplies to Bouaké and the surrounding towns of Tiebissou and Sakassou for implementing partners including CARITAS, Medicins Sans Frontiers and various Catholic missions. In addition, UNICEF transported some food and non-food items for war affected populations in Bouake on behalf of the Government of Côte d'Ivoire's Ministry of Social Welfare. In addition to the distribution of these emergency supplies in Bouaké, UNICEF staff assessed humanitarian conditions in Daloa, Bouaké and Yamoussoukro. They found that civilian populations in both Daloa and Bouaké have been directly affected by the crisis: Daloa is currently under government control, while Bouaké is under rebel control.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for a joint mission that will primarily assess the human and material resources in the war zone for the National Immunization Days scheduled to be take place nationwide from 9 to 11 November 2002. This mission will include staff from humanitarian organizations who will do a rapid assessment of humanitarian needs and the environment for the provision of humanitarian assistance to populations in these previously inaccessible areas.

For further information, please contact:

Mrs. Besida Tonwe, Head of Office, OCHA-RSOWA
Office: 225 22 40 51 70
Cell: 225 07 01 36 63
E-mail: tonwe@un.org; or besida@ocha.ci

Ms. Rosa Malango, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, OCHA-RSOWA
Office: 225 22 40 51 71
Cell: 225 07 01 3664
E-mail: malango@un.org; or rosa@ocha.ci

Mr. Ousmane Watt, Database Manager, OCHA-RSOWA [on loan from OCHA-Guinea]
Office: 225 22 40 5175/6
E-mail: ousmane.watt@ocha.ci

Mr. Ibrahim Barry, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, OCHA-RSOWA [on loan from OCHA-Guinea]
Office: 225 22 405175/6
e-mail: ibrahim.barry@ocha.ci

Mr. Pierre Ngore, National consultant, OCHA-RSOWA
Office: 225 22 405172
e-mail: pierre@ocha.ci