Accord de Cessez-le-Feu

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Country/entity: Cote d'Ivoire
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Accord de Cessez-le-Feu
Date: 3 May 2003
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Ivorian Civil War (2002 - 2011)
The Ivorian civil war broke out in 2002 over the disqualification of Alassane Ouattara from the predominantly Muslim north for the presidential elections due to his missing “Ivoirity”. This concept, politically enforced by nationalist forces around President Laurent Ggagbo in the South of the country and in the capital Abidjan, demanded that both parents of a presidential candidate had to be born in Cote D’Ivoire. Despite several agreements and French military involvement the fighting continued until 2005, when a South African mediation attempt – and the qualification of the national football squad for the World Cup in 2006 – helped to end the fighting. The situation remained unstable even with a UN peacekeeping force in place. Renewed fighting broke out after the presidential elections in 2010 where Ouattara was allowed to run, but he lost the elections under unclear circumstances and perceptions of fraud. Finally, Ggagbo was arrested in April 2011 by French-backed forces supporting Ouattara.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Cote D'Ivoire: peace process
Parties: For FANCI
General Mathias Doué
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

For the new forces
Colonel Michel Gueu
Minister of Sport and Leisure
Third parties: -
Description: The national armed forces (FANCI) and the new forces (forces nouvelles) reaffirm commitments previously made: immediate and definitive end to hostilities, acceptance of deployment of impartial forces (Miceci, Licorne) within a designated zone, and to allow for the free movement of people, goods, humanitarian agents, economic operators and the redeployment of administration. The signing parties agree to not recruit or employ child soldiers, mercenaries and non-Ivoirians, not to infiltrate and attack military units or armed groups, not to threaten the territorial integrity and human dignity, not to pillage or traffic and not to incite hate, discrimination, division or violence.

Agreement document: CI_030503_Accord de cessez-le-feu_tr.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): CI_030503_Accord de cessez-le-feu.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: Groups→Children/youth→Substantive
Page 1, Paragraph 5
Undertake to refrain from the following activities which represent violations of the present agreement:
- the recruitment and deployment of child soldiers, mercenaries or persons without Ivoirian nationality, outside the framework of the agreements regularly agreed by the Ivoirian State
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): Page 2
The signatory parties consider that the scrupulous respect of this agreement is an essential condition for the implementation of the peace process, which should lead to the rapid restoration of the authority of the State throughout the national territory, re-establishing the integrity of the national territory and to a return to normal life in Côte d’Ivoire.
State configuration: Page 1, Paragraph 5
Undertake to refrain from the following activities which represent violations of the present agreement:
...
- attacks on the integrity of the national territory and on human dignity;

Page 2
The signatory parties consider that the scrupulous respect of this agreement is an essential condition for the implementation of the peace process, which should lead to the rapid restoration of the authority of the State throughout the national territory, re-establishing the integrity of the national territory and to a return to normal life in Côte d’Ivoire.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: Page 1, Paragraph 4
Undertake to do everything necessary to enable the free circulation of persons, goods, commercial enterprises and humanitarian agencies, as well as the redeployment of the administration in the best conditions of general security conditions possible throughout the national territory;
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: Page 1, UNTITLED PREAMBLE
...
- Anxious to end the suffering of the Ivorian people and to prohibit any acts which contravene international humanitarian law.

Page 1, Paragraph 5
Undertake to refrain from the following activities which represent violations of the present agreement:
...
- attacks on the integrity of the national territory and on human dignity;
...
- any incitement to hatred, discrimination, division and violence.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: Rights related issues→Media and communication→Media roles
Page 1, Paragraph 5
...
- any incitement to hatred, discrimination, division and violence.
Mobility/access: Page 1, Paragraph 4
Undertake to do everything necessary to enable the free circulation of persons, goods, commercial enterprises and humanitarian agencies, as well as the redeployment of the administration in the best conditions of general security conditions possible throughout the national territory;
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Socio-economic development
Page 1, UNTITLED PREAMBLE
...
- Wishing to re-establish and secure the administrative and economic space in Côte d’Ivoire as soon as possible.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: Page 1, Paragraph 4
Undertake to do everything necessary to enable the free circulation of persons, goods, commercial enterprises and humanitarian agencies, as well as the redeployment of the administration in the best conditions of general security conditions possible throughout the national territory;
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: Page 1, Paragraph 4
Undertake to do everything necessary to enable the free circulation of persons, goods, commercial enterprises and humanitarian agencies, as well as the redeployment of the administration in the best conditions of general security conditions possible throughout the national territory;
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
[The whole agreement provides for a ceasefire and all its modalities including the reaffirmation of existing commitments. The agreement is effective from Sunday May 4 2003 at 00:00 and is presumed to be permanent.]
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: Page 1, Paragraph 5
Undertake to refrain from the following activities which represent violations of the present agreement:
...
- infiltration, circulation and attacks by military units and armed groups;
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: Page 1, Paragraph 5
Undertake to refrain from the following activities which represent violations of the present agreement:
...
- infiltration, circulation and attacks by military units and armed groups;
Withdrawal of foreign forces: Page 1, Paragraph 5
Undertake to refrain from the following activities which represent violations of the present agreement:
- the recruitment and deployment of child soldiers, mercenaries or persons without Ivoirian nationality, outside the framework of the agreements regularly agreed by the Ivoirian State
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: Page 1, Paragraph 5
...- acts of pillage and trafficking;
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: Page 1, UNTITLED PREAMBLE
...
- Conscious that the persistence of confrontations in Côte d’Ivoire represents a major obstacle to the process of peace and reconciliation.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 1, Paragraph 3
Accept the redeployment of the impartial forces (Miceci, Licorne) inside the zone of confidence determined by mutual agreement between the signatories;
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Peace African Union, http://www.peaceau.org/uploads/ivoire-cease-fire-03-05-2003.pdf

Full text of the ceasefire agreement

In accordance with the provisions in the final communiqué of the Kara summit in Togo, organised on April 26, 2003.

Conscious that the persistence of confrontations in Côte d’Ivoire represents a major obstacle to the process of peace and reconciliation.

Anxious to end the suffering of the Ivorian people and to prohibit any acts which contravene international humanitarian law.

Wishing to re-establish and secure the administrative and economic space in Côte d’Ivoire as soon as possible.

The National Armed Forces of Côte d’Ivoire (Forces armées de Côte d'Ivoire, FANCI) and the new forces reaffirm their existing commitments:

Agree to an immediate and definitive end to hostilities throughout the national territory and in particular in the Ivorian Grand Ouest;

Undertake throughout the national territory to refrain from committing any hostile acts or undertaking any activities which may constitute a violation of the present agreement;

Accept the redeployment of the impartial forces (Miceci, Licorne) inside the zone of confidence determined by mutual agreement between the signatories;

Undertake to do everything necessary to enable the free circulation of persons, goods, commercial enterprises and humanitarian agencies, as well as the redeployment of the administration in the best conditions of general security conditions possible throughout the national territory;

Undertake to refrain from the following activities which represent violations of the present agreement:

the recruitment and deployment of child soldiers, mercenaries or persons without Ivoirian nationality, outside the framework of the agreements regularly agreed by the Ivoirian State;

infiltration, circulation and attacks by military units and armed groups;

attacks on the integrity of the national territory and on human dignity;

acts of pillage and trafficking;

any incitement to hatred, discrimination, division and violence.

The signatory parties consider that the scrupulous respect of this agreement is an essential condition for the implementation of the peace process, which should lead to the rapid restoration of the authority of the State throughout the national territory, re-establishing the integrity of the national territory and to a return to normal life in Côte d’Ivoire.

This agreement is effective from Sunday May 4, 2003, at 00.00 hours TU.

Done at Abidjan, May 3, 2003

For FANCI

General Mathias Doué

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

For the new forces

Colonel Michel Gueu

Minister of Sport and Leisure