Côte d'Ivoire Crisis - International Committee of the Red Cross 2011

14 April 2011 - Côte d'Ivoire has been plunged into turmoil following the refusal of incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo to concede defeat after losing the 28 November second round of elections to former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara. Insecurity and post-electoral violence have claimed hundreds of lives and have led over 130 000 Ivoirians to flee to neighbouring countries the vast majority seeking refuge in Liberia. An additional 800 000 people have been displaced within the country following outbreaks of violence. Despite Gbagbo’s 11 April 2011 surrender the security situation remains volatile and pockets of fighting and looting continue in Abidjan. There are no indications that refugees and displaced populations have begun to return to their areas of origin until which time they remain reliant on humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. Clean water shelter food health and medical assistance and access to sanitation facilities all remain urgent needs for displaced populations and hosting communities. With CIDA support the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is addressing the emergency needs of those affected by the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire. ICRC is carrying out activities in both Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia which include: treating the wounded; supporting overwhelmed medical facilities by providing technical assistance equipment supplies and training; providing basic assistance to displaced populations refugees and host communities through the distribution of shelter materials mosquito nets and basic household and hygiene items; improving access to safe water and sanitation facilities through the provision of clean water rehabilitation of water points and rehabilitation/construction of latrines in areas faced with population influxes; and helping to reunite people separated from their families including through the registration and identification of unaccompanied children.