UNOCI Background
Acting on the recommendations of the Secretary-General, the Security Council adopted resolution 1528 (2004) 
of 27 February 2004, establishing the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) for an initial period of 12 months, from 4 April 2004. The mandate of the small political mission, the United Nations Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (MINUCI), ended on that same date. In accordance with the Council’s request, the Secretary-General transferred authority from MINUCI and ECOWAS forces to UNOCI on that date.
UNOCI's objective is to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003 which aimed at ending the Ivorian civil war. Its mandate was subsequently extended on several occasions, including most recently on 27 July 2011 in resolution 2000 (2011) .
2010 elections and post-election crisis in Côte d'Ivoire
Alassane Ouattara was declared winner of the November 2010 UN-certified presidential election, which, it was hoped, would advance the peace process in Côte d’Ivoire. Instead, the country lurched back into civil war when incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down, using troops, paramilitaries and mercenaries to entrench his position and crush dissent. The five-month impasse ended with the arrest of Mr. Gbagbo and the inauguration of the legitimate President on 21 May 2011.
Following the 2010 Presidential election and the ensuing political crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, UNOCI has remained on the ground to support the new Ivorian Government.