BRUSSELS - The European Council on New Year's Eve extended the visa ban list against a group of people who are known allies of Côte D'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo, who is refusing to step aside after losing elections last month.The Council issued a travel restriction to 59 individuals who are obstructing the peace process in the West African country as they have rejected the democratic election of former Prime Minster Alassane Ouattara as the new President of Côte D'Ivoire.
This document updates the restrictions adopted on October 29, which were based on the resolutions against Côte D'Ivoire by the United Nations Security Council. The first visa ban list was announced on December 22.
On December 13, the European Council decided to impose travel restrictions on leading figures in Côte D'Ivoire who refused to recognize Ouattara's victory in the presidential elections, which were supervised and ratified by the UN.
The first travel restriction list included former President Gbabgo, his wife, and 17 other individuals. After the extension, the Council has now banned 78 individuals from the West African country.
As previously stated, the EU says it stands ready to take targeted restrictive measures against those who would continue obstructing the will of the Ivorian people as expressed in the presidential polls.
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