DAKAR, 16 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a new resolution to ban imports of rough diamonds from war-torn Cote d’Ivoire and renew an existing arms embargo.Full report

ABIDJAN, 15 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - While experts are heartened by just how well the economy of the world’s top cocoa producer Cote d’Ivoire has coped with three years of civil war, the man in the street maintains things have never been tougher.Full report

ABIDJAN, 7 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Charles Konan Banny was sworn in as interim prime minister of Cote d’Ivoire on Wednesday, facing the daunting task of restoring the war-divided country to peace in just 11 months.Full report

ABIDJAN, 6 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - They could be any ordinary couple with a five-year-old named Sylvie, who just celebrated her birthday. But the reality behind the picture-perfect smiles of Paul and his wife, Viviane, is grim.Full report

ABIDJAN, 5 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - The designation by African mediators of Charles Konan Banny, governor of West Africa’s central bank, as interim prime minister of war-divided Cote d’Ivoire won strong endorsement from parties to the conflict on Monday, raising a new glimmer of hope for peace.Full report

ABIDJAN, 2 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - Six weeks after a lapsed UN deadline, two African heavyweight leaders fly in to divided Cote d’Ivoire at the weekend to make a fresh try at finding a prime minister acceptable to all sides in the conflict. But analysts are increasingly pessimistic of a quick fix.Full report

NEW YORK, 2 Dec 2005 (IRIN) - The high US$4.7 billion price tag on the United Nations’ latest global appeal, is because there are currently a large number of humanitarian operations and natural disasters, according to Jan Egeland, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator. Full report

ABIDJAN, 28 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - In any poor neighbourhood of Abidjan, at any time of day, it takes only a couple of minutes to find some of the almost one million people who have fled their homes in the rebel-held north of Cote d’Ivoire to start a new life in this sprawling port city.Full report

OUAGADOUGOU, 25 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Mariam’s twisted fingers will forever remain a brutal reminder of her violent escape three years ago to Burkina Faso from Cote d’Ivoire, her home for 25 years until war broke out there in 2002.Full report

ABIDJAN, 23 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Despite their combined political clout, three of Africa’s most prominent heads of state failed to clear the way to peace by securing agreement on the name of a new prime minister for war-torn Cote d’Ivoire on Wednesday. Full report

COTE D IVOIRE: What's in a name? A fight for identity

COTE D IVOIRE: Aid projects threatened as donors tire of 'no war no peace' situation

COTE D IVOIRE: War brings easy profits for some, hardship for others

COTE D IVOIRE: Family unified in fight against HIV

COTE D IVOIRE: Peace stalemate could rumble on, and on - analysts

COTE D IVOIRE: Tough living for war-displaced and their hosts