Côte d'Ivoire
Abidjan unrest impedes aid to Côte d'Ivoire

afrol News, 1 February - The political unrest in Abidjan, where the airport and ports are increasingly targeted, is endangering the humanitarian situation in the rest of the country. Neither food transport nor money transfers reach the central and northern parts of Côte d'Ivoire, where many war-affected people depend on aid.

- The security situation in Abidjan deteriorated due to demonstrations and riots following the peace agreement, the World Food Programme (WFP) today warned. Reports of ethnic and religious unrest also had contributed to "a very unstable situation at the moment," the agency's Abidjan office reported.

Only yesterday, a mob protesting the Paris peace accord invaded the Abidjan's international airport, terrorising French families fleeing the country. Two French soldiers that were to protect their citizens were injured by the protesters. Today's anti-French marches in Abidjan - the biggest so far - were however peaceful.

The crisis in Abidjan was further having a negative impact on the humanitarian situation in the rest of the country, in particular by causing the suspension of cash movements towards the provincial towns.

Although the situation in the rebel stronghold Bouaké had started to improve slightly the last few weeks - due to the resumption of commercial exchanges with the northern area - people could not access cash sent by relatives in Abidjan any longer. "Should this situation continue over the next three weeks, populations will face a sharp decrease of their purchasing power and will again rely on assistance provided by relief agencies," the UN agency warned.

Not only local banking services are stopped by the uneasy situation in Abidjan. The African Development Bank (ADB), one of the city's major employers, has evacuated its personnel, which has been taken to Dakar (Senegal). The returning turmoil in Abidjan over the last years may accelerate ADB plans to relocate its headquarters. ADB only last week gave a US$ 1.2 million grant to the Ivorian government.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in the country is growing. WFP in Côte d'Ivoire is currently assisting approximately 90,600 vulnerable people, including 45,900 persons in Bouaké and surrounding villages, 18,600 internally displaced people in Daloa and Duekoué and 7,000 displaced in Yamoussoukro and surrounding villages.

In addition, 11,560 refugees and displaced currently in the south-western part of the country receive WFP assistance as well as 7,500 displaced children enrolled in WFP Emergency School cantinas in Abidjan. Especially refugees and immigrants from Mali and Burkina Faso have been victimised by Abidjan police and pro-government mobs during the last months, making them depend on international aid.

During the week, WFP had also undertaken a mission to Bouna, a rebel-held provincial centre in the north-eastern corner of the country. "Urgent provision of medicines is needed, and food will be targeted to the most vulnerable individuals," the agency concluded.

In the south-west, 4,000 Liberian refugees - that were refused to leave the country by angry locals - were planned to be assisted with high energy biscuits while in transit. The repatriation exercise had however been "put on hold due to insecurity." In this region close to the Liberian border, WFP was distributing food aid to the refugees in Nicla camp and to internally displaced Ivorians in Guiglo.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR however reports it now has been able to resume most of its operations in Côte d'Ivoire. 158 Liberian refugees yesterday left the volatile south-west under a UNHCR-organised return operation amid simmering tensions. A further over 1,700 Liberians had registered for return and were awaiting their turn at daily convoys.

Tensions however remained high in the area, where the local community suspects the Liberians of involvement with rebel fighters, UNHCR reports. Earlier this week, a group of 25 Liberian men had been apprehended by young vigilantes at a church in Tabou, and taken to a site where they were verbally abused and threatened with death. The men were later released following intervention by the UNHCR.

The UN refugee agency estimates that there are still up to 40,000 Liberian refugees living in Côte d'Ivoire along the western border with Liberia, including 5,000-8,000 at Nicla camp, "who are particularly vulnerable because of their ethnic background," according to UNHCR spokesperson Delphine Marie.
 

Sources: Based on press reports and  afrol archives