All Peace Corps Volunteers now safely out of Ivory Coast
The Peace Corps is reporting this afternoon that efforts to consolidate and transport all 133 volunteers who had been serving in the Ivory Coast to Ghana are now complete and that all volunteers have been escorted to safety and are accounted for.
Our congratulations to the Peace Corps for handling the process of consolidating and evacuating volunteers from the Ivory Coast safely and professionally. The Peace Corps community also thanks the U.S. and French military forces that worked to escort volunteers safely out of the Ivory Coast. Finally our hope that the mediators from the Economic Community of West African States are able to end fighting between rebel and government forces in Ivory Coast without further loss of life.
Read and comment on the official Press Release from the Peace Corps then read the following story on mediation efforts that are now beginning to end the bloodshed at:
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
Cote d’Ivoire Consolidation Complete
Caption: An American soldier, foreground, stands guard as a French soldier, background, directs people getting off the evacuation plane at the airport in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast Sunday Sept. 29, 2002. A joint operation between American and French troops evacuated the foreigners in Korhogo in the north of the Ivory Coast. (AP Photo/Christine Nesbitt)
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 1, 2002 -- UPDATE 3:00 p.m. (EST) The Peace Corps announced this afternoon that efforts to consolidate the 133 volunteers who had been serving in Cote d’Ivoire, Africa, to Accra, Ghana are now complete.
Both the Peace Corps and the Department of State have confirmed that all volunteers have been escorted to safety and are accounted for. The consolidation was successfully completed without incident through the cooperation of the U.S. State Department and the government of France.
Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez said, “I am grateful for the excellent work of the Peace Corps staff in Cote d’Ivoire, at headquarters, and the U.S. Embassy. Their tireless efforts ensured that communication with all volunteers was ongoing throughout the consolidation process. I am thankful for the collaboration of the U.S. and French military as they worked to escort volunteers safely out of Cote d’Ivoire.”
Diplomats Begin Mediation Efforts for Cease-Fire in Ivory Coast
Caption: French troops are on the road to Bouafle, west of Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast on Monday Sept. 30, 2002. Government soldiers claimed Monday they had inflicted heavy losses on rebel troops in Ivory Coast, while French troops in jeeps with mounted guns scoured the countryside in search of isolated Westerners who might need rescue in case of all-out war. (AP Photo/Christine Nesbitt)
Read and comment on the following story on the situation in the Ivory Coast from VOA at:
Diplomats Begin Mediation Efforts for Cease-Fire in Ivory Coast
Luis Ramirez
Abidjan
1 Oct 2002 20:36 UTC
Mediators from the Economic Community of West African States are preparing efforts to end fighting between rebel and government forces in Ivory Coast.
A team of diplomats from several West African nations arrived in Abidjan late Monday and met with Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo. They hope to open discussions this week with rebels who continue to hold parts of the center and north of Ivory Coast.
The diplomats' aim is to mediate a cease-fire between the Ivory Coast government and renegade soldiers who launched their initial attacks on various parts of the country on September 19.
It is not clear where the meeting between diplomats and the rebels would be held. A rebel spokesman told VOA the insurgents are in the process of assembling a committee to meet with the delegation.
The diplomats' discussion with President Gbagbo was held behind closed doors. Officials of the Economic Community of West African States said the meeting went well, but gave no details.
Meanwhile, heavy fighting broke out in the town of Tiebissou, about 40-kilometers north of the political capital, Yamoussoukro. The town has changed hands at least twice during the past week. The government says it controls the town.
There were also reports of fighting in the rebel-held city of Bouake, where residents said they heard heavy gunfire and explosions late Monday and early Tuesday. Bouake, Ivory Coast's second-largest city, is about 100-kilometers north of the political capital, Yamoussoukro.
Scores of people have been leaving Bouake and other rebel-held areas on foot in recent days amid fears of government assaults. Those leaving Bouake say the rebels appear to be well-armed and organized, and have not attacked civilians.
French troops assembled north of Yamoussoukro, as part of what military officials said were efforts to help loyalist forces prevent a rebel incursion to the south. The French, who have flown in reinforcements recently, have said they will provide logistical support to the Ivory Coast forces, but not troops.
U.S. special forces in neighboring Ghana have been on standby in the event that they need to evacuate more Americans from the troubled regions of the country. U.S. troops this week rescued hundreds of Americans and other foreigners from the northern rebel-held towns of Korhogo and Ferkessedougou.
West African leaders meeting Sunday in Ghana agreed to deploy thousands of peacekeepers in the event that mediation efforts fail.
Fighting in Ivory Coast has killed hundreds of people since the crisis broke out.
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