The United Nations has publicly apologised to Belarus for an inaccurate report from its mission in Côte d’Ivoire that Belarus had supplied attack helicopters to former President Laurent Gbagbo in violation of an arms embargo on the strife-torn West African country.

“This [is a] troubling event and a mistaken report,” Under-Secretary-General Alain Le Roy, head of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), told a news briefing of the account that a Belarussian plane had landed in Côte d’Ivoire on Sunday.

Le Roy noted that the information came from a report given to the Group of Experts established by the Security Council to monitor the arms embargo against Côte d'Ivoire regarding three attack helicopters and related equipment that were to be delivered to the forces loyal to Gbagbo.

On Sunday, the UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) said it had received reports that a flight corresponding to this description landed at Yamoussoukro. Given the seriousness of the issue, it was decided to raise the matter publicly.

“I presented on behalf of DPKO and the United Nations our deep regret and apologies to Belarus and I welcome particularly the fact that… the Belarussian authorities have reconfirmed their full compliance with the embargo,” he said after meeting with Belarussian Charge d’Affaires Zoya Kolonta.

Belarus has checked that none of its private company is engaged in any arms deal in Côte d’Ivoire, he said, apologising for any harm caused.

The Security Council imposed the embargo in 2004 after a civil war in 2002 split the country into a rebel-held north and a Government-controlled south. The country has been thrown into turmoil by Gbagbo’s refusal to leave office despite opposition leader Alassane Ouattara’s UN-certified victory in last November’s run-off poll.

Tensions have since risen, with Gbagbo loyalists attacking UN convoys and civilians in Abidjan, the commercial capital, and UN officials have voiced concerns over a possible resumption of civil war.

– UN News