IVORY COAST - UN: UN troops to stay in Ivory Coast untill January

UN troops to stay in Ivory Coast untill January Wednesday 30 July 2008 The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday extended the mandate of a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast to support the organisation of long-delayed presidential elections scheduled for November. The Security Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a French-drafted resolution extending for six months the mandate of UN and French peacekeepers in Ivory Coast to support the holding of a long-delayed presidential poll. Resolution 1826, which was co-sponsored by Burkina Faso and South Africa, extends until January 31 the mandate of the 8,000-strong UN force known as ONUCI and of the 1,800 French troops backing them in the west African country. The mandate expires Wednesday. Their mission will be "to support the organization of free, open, fair and transparent... [read full story]