Topic: Situation in Cote d'Ivoire
Country: Turkey
Delegate Name: Jeremy Gloster
School: Roeper School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Turkey position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
The Republic of Turkey would like to congratulate Côte d'Ivoire on the transparent, open elections the nation held on October 31, 2010, and the run-off presidential election held on November 28. After the presidential election was consecutively postponed for the past five years, we see this year’s elections as a positive step towards a stable democracy and a stable nation.
The Republic of Turkey has been a part of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) since the mission began in 2004. We opened a Turkish embassy in Abidjan last year, and see this step as the beginning of strong diplomatic relations with the West African nation. We would like to offer further support to Côte d'Ivoire, until they have the stable, democratic government that they are currently pursuing. Côte d'Ivoire has endured two coups d’états and a civil war in the past decade, and Turkey would like to grant the nation time to rebuild and strengthen its political infrastructure. Recognizing global interdependence, this body must encourage a stable political system in Côte d'Ivoire to ensure regional stability and global peace.
Turkey recognizes that any success in bringing democratic elections to Côte d'Ivoire was a direct result of UNOCI’s efforts and presence. Despite our optimism, we must also note that Côte d'Ivoire will continue to face obstacles in becoming a stable, democratic state; three citizens died during November’s run-off election despite attempts by the UNOCI and the current government to ensure security, and a majority of citizens are still concerned about election fraud. This is a contentious issue in Côte d'Ivoire and can only be solved through global involvement.
