afrol News, 26 February - The UN is advancing its plans to deploy a full-fledged peacekeeping mission of 6,240 military personnel in Côte d'Ivoire, which could be decided already tomorrow. Today, the price of such a mission was presented to the UN Security Council: an estimated US$ 303 million for six months.

Deploying a "multifaceted United Nations peacekeeping force in Côte d'Ivoire for six months" would cost about US$ 303 million, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Security Council in a letter made public today.

- The projections take into account personnel and assets of the United Nations Mission in Côte d'Ivoire already on the ground and provide for the deployment of 6,240 military personnel, including 200 military observers, 120 staff officers, 350 civilian police officers and 435 international and 529 national staff, as well as 119 United Nations Volunteers, the letter said.

The current UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire (MINUCI) - comprising 34 military officers and a small number of civilian employees - is criticised for not being able to assure peace in the country. Peacekeeping is therefore being carried out by the West African military force known as ECOMICI and a French peacekeeping operation called Licorne.

If the UN Security Council decided to place peacekeepers in Côte d'Ivoire, assessments levied on UN member states would be credited to a special account for that purpose, Mr Annan said in his letter. Financing of the mission however could prove difficult to assure on a short notice, experience has shown.

An agreement signed in Linas-Marcoussis, France, in January last year ended fierce fighting between the government of President Laurent Gbagbo and the then-rebellious Forces Nouvelles. They have now formed a government of national unity but the situation in the country remains fragile.

In the original report about the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, to which the letter on costs is an addendum, Mr Annan had said he would recommend that the UN Security Council launch a full peacekeeping operation in the country if the parties there implemented their peace agreement, maintained a unitary government and disbanded disruptive militant groups.

The UN Security Council on 4 February decided to extend the mandate of MINUCI until 27 February - or tomorrow. At the same time, the Council requested Mr Annan to prepare the deployment of a possible peacekeeping operation.

The Security Council therefore tomorrow will have to address the situation in Côte d'Ivoire and decide on the future on MINUCI. The Council can decide on extending the small mission's mandate or on the establishment of a full-fledged peacekeeping operation. A discontinuation of the UN's presence in Côte d'Ivoire is not on the agenda.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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