Ministerraad bevriest tegoeden elite Ivoorkust en breidt visumverbod uit (en)
Cote d'Ivoire: Council adopts assets freeze and designates additional persons and entities subject to restrictive measures
The Council today adopted a Decision imposing an assets freeze and extending the visa ban to additional persons and entities that are obstructing the process of peace and national reconciliation in Cote d'Ivoire and in particular are jeopardising the proper outcome of the electoral process. The Council also adopted a Regulation implementing the assets freeze1.
Following the presidential election in Cote d'Ivoire on 31 October and 28 November 2010, the Council agreed on 13 December 2010 to impose targeted restrictive measures, including a visa ban and an assets freeze, on leading figures in Cote d'Ivoire who refused to place themselves under the authority of the democratically elected president Alassan Ouattara. On 17 December 2010, the European Council stated the EU's readiness to take targeted restrictive measures against those who would continue to obstruct the respect of the sovereign will expressed by the Ivorian people.
Today's Decision amends Decision 2010/656/CFSP, which was adopted on 29 October 2010 and renewed existing restrictive measures against Cote d'Ivoire imposed on the basis of UN Security Council Resolutions. This Decision was already amended on 22 December 2010 to impose a visa ban on former president Laurent Gbagbo and 18 other individuals. Today's Decision provides for an assets freeze of 85 individuals that refuse to place themselves under the authority of the democratically elected president, as well as of 11 entities that are supporting the illegitimate administration of Laurent Gbagbo. It also extends the visa ban to apply to those 85 individuals.
The Decision and the Regulation, together with consolidated list of persons and entities subject to the EU restrictive measures, will be published in the Official Journal on Saturday, 15 January 2011.
The Decision and the Regulation were adopted by written procedures.