Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Côte d’Ivoire
Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America
Delivered by Aleksandra Needham
Human Rights Council 25th Session
Geneva, March 25, 2014
The United States welcomes the report of the Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Côte d’Ivoire. We recognize that while overall stability in Côte d’Ivoire has improved, challenges to improving the human rights situation remain.
Specifically, we share the serious concerns of Monsieur Diene about the increase in sexual violence against women and girls. We are equally concerned about the slow progress of security sector reform, demobilization, and disarmament, and the significant challenges to genuine national reconciliation. Such reconciliation must be based on evenhanded justice for perpetrators on all sides of the post-election violence. While we welcome recent positive steps such as the extension of the mandate of the Special Cell charged with investigating and prosecuting crimes committed during the post-election crisis, these steps need to be matched with real political commitment and the provision of resources necessary to provide justice to victims.
Questions:
How will the lack of progress on impunity and meaningful reconciliation efforts affect the political environment in the lead-up to presidential elections in 2015?
What more can the UN, the HRC, and member states do to assist the Ivoirian government with providing evenhanded justice for the crimes committed during the post-election crisis, particularly in the pre-2015 election environment?
Thank you.