UNOCI denies injuries in Côte d’Ivoire, UNHCR and WFP ramp-up assistance to refugees in Liberia, and more from UN Direct

Côte d’Ivoire: UNOCI has called for the immediate cessation of negative campaigns by Gbagbo’s camp through Radio Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI), which has been broadcasting injured people depicted as victims of shootings by UNOCI, which UNOCI has denied. The mission said that peacekeepers fired shots into the air, not into the crowd. Last night, the SG spoke with Jean Ping, Chairperson of the AU Commission. The WFP and UNHCHR are speeding up food and aid delivery to the over 22,000 Ivoirians – mostly women and children – who have fled to Liberia.

Security Council: The Council adopted its program of work for January this morning and received an update from Alain Le Roy on Cote d’Ivoire who visited the country and UNOCI last week.  The Perm Rep of Bosnia and Herzegovina, President of the Council for January, briefed the press today on its program for the month.  A relatively quiet month, there are no mandate adoptions expected, but UNMIN will end January 15.  In addition to the monthly debate on the Middle East on the 19th, a debate will be held on post-conflict peacebuilding on the 21st, which will focus on institution building.  Briefings on the agenda will address UNMIN, DPA’s work, Somalia, Sudan, piracy and Haiti (on the 20th – will address the one-year anniversary from humanitarian and political perspectives).