E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.3 page 5 Introduction 1. Pursuant to the mandate entrusted to him by the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 2002/39, of 23 April 2002, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance conducted a mission in Côte d’Ivoire from 9 to 21 February 2004. Organized following reports of a rising tide of xenophobia in Côte d’Ivoire, this mission attempted to make an objective assessment of the role of ethnic factors in the Ivorian crisis, and fell within the context of the support the United Nations wishes to provide to efforts to resolve the crisis that has gripped Côte d’Ivoire for several years. 2. The Special Rapporteur’s visit benefited from excellent practical and logistical arrangements thanks to full cooperation by the Ivorian authorities at the national and provincial levels, and to exceptional professional back-up, provided by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and by the United Nations Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (MINUCI), notably its Human Rights Office. The openness and active cooperation of the principal political and civil society actors in the crisis were prerequisites for the credibility and objectivity of his visit. 3. During his mission, the Special Rapporteur sought to give a hearing to all the stakeholders so as to gather their views on the true role of ethnic factors in the crisis, their manifestations and the possible solutions. In this spirit, the Special Rapporteur met the country’s highest officials, and in particular President Laurent Gbagbo, as well as Mr. Laurent Dona Fologo, President of the Economic and Social Council, the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Director and principal colleagues, the Vice-President and several members of the National Assembly, and the President of the Independent Electoral Commission. He also met members of the Government, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Justice, the Minister for National Reconciliation, the Minister for African Integration, the Minister for Internal Security and Decentralization, and the Minister of Human Rights. Wishing his visit to be seen as a contribution to the search for a lasting solution to the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, the Special Rapporteur integrated his visit in the democratic process under way by meeting with the country’s main political groups: the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), the Forces Nouvelles, the Rassemblement des républicains (Rally of the Republicans) (RDR), the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI-RDA), the Union for Democracy and Peace in Côte d’Ivoire (UDPCI), and the Ivorian Workers’ Party (PIT). He also met representatives of civil society, human rights defenders, diplomatic missions including those of Burkina Faso, Mali, South Africa, Senegal, France, the United States and the European Union, and of international and regional organizations, including United Nations agencies, the special representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the special representative of the International Organisation of la Francophonie. Given the influence of the media in situations of ethnic tension, and particularly its influence on the images, perceptions and sensibilities of the communities involved, the Special Rapporteur felt he should also meet media representatives, and in particular the new head of Radio-Télévision Ivorienne. Lastly, his visit would not have been complete had he not met representatives of the communities themselves. In order to obtain the fullest possible understanding of the reality of Ivorian society, the Special Rapporteur travelled to the interior to meet local actors such as traditional chiefs and religious leaders, but above all to meet the victims. He therefore visited Ivorian and foreign victims in their homes many of them of a highly makeshift nature - in the course of his tour of the provinces. As well as the economic capital, Abidjan, the Special Rapporteur also went to the political capital, Yamoussoukro, and Bouaké, Duékoué, Gagnoa and Guiglo. In view of the importance of the