VZCZCXRO9443
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #0350 1541227
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031227Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5177
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0235

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000350 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM UN IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: UN CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION 
EXPLAINED 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  SRSG Choi held a press conference on May 27 
to counter misinformation about the UN certification of Cote 
d'Ivoire's election.  There has been confusion among both 
Ivoirians and the international community about how the 
certification will be conducted.  Choi clarified the 
certification process stressing that the purpose is not to 
seek flaws in the electoral process but to assure Ivoirians 
that they will have an election they can be proud of.  Choi 
said he will keep watch to ensure that all stages of the 
process are carried out according to the five-criteria 
framework already elaborated.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) The UN Security Council in resolution 1765 of July 16, 
2007 decided that the Secretary General's Special 
Representative in Cote d'Ivoire (currently Y.J. Choi) shall 
certify that all stages of the electoral process provide the 
necessary guarantees for the holding of open, free, fair and 
transparent presidential and legislative elections in 
accordance with international standards. The Secretary 
General's sixteenth progress report on UNOCI (dated April 15, 
2008), laid out the five-criteria framework elaborated by the 
SRSG for certifying all stages of the electoral process. 
According to the framework, the SRSG will assess whether: 1) 
a secure environment exists during the period leading to the 
elections and allows for the full participation of the 
population and the candidates in the process; 2) the 
electoral process is inclusive; 3) all candidates have 
equitable access to state-controlled media and whether the 
latter remains neutral; 4) the electoral lists are credible 
and accepted by all parties; and 5) the results of the 
elections are determined through a transparent counting 
process and are accepted by all or are challenged peacefully 
through the appropriate channels. 
 
¶3. (U) At the press conference, Choi noted that he 
established the five criteria in consultation with Cote 
d'Ivoire's political actors as well as Burkina Faso President 
Compaore, the Facilitator for the Ouagadougou Political 
Agreement (OPA).  Choi statQ.H:hat once he has certified the 
electoral list, he will not allow any subsequent challenges 
to it.  Likewise, once the election results are certified, 
Choi said he would not allow any non-democratic challenges to 
the results.  Choi said that the electoral process and the 
tallying of results must occur in a peaceful environment and 
that no one can be excluded from the process.  The state 
media must be impartial and fair towards all candidates, 
parties, and political groups.  He explained that all 
candidates must be given equitable access to the 
state-controlled media once the electoral list has been 
published. 
 
¶4. (U) Choi said that a group of experts working in a 
certification cell set up at UNOCI will continuously evaluate 
the electoral process.  If problems are brought to his 
attention, Choi said he would first encourage the relevant 
parties to take the measures necessary to correct the 
situation.  If that does not resolve the problem, he will 
engage with leading Ivoirian actors to identify national 
solutions.  If that fails, he will ask the OPA Facilitator to 
arbritrate.  If that also fails, he will refer the matter to 
the UN Security Council.  Choi promised to utilize all 
measures at his disposal to ensure that the election results 
are accepted and that the victor is the person who actually 
won the election. 
 
N^SBITT