Cote d'Ivoire continues to need humanitarian assistance, U.N. official says

"Cote d'Ivoire remains in great need of humanitarian assistance nine months after the end of the bloody post-election violence that displaced tens of thousands of people, a senior United Nations relief official said today, urging donors to continue their generosity to the West African country throughout this year," the U.N. News Centre reports. "Considerable needs remain in several areas such as protection of civilians, restoration of means of livelihood, shelter, access to basic services and voluntary return and reintegration of displaced persons and refugees," Catherine Bragg, assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and deputy U.N. emergency relief coordinator, said following a three-day visit to the nation, according to the news service (1/18).

IRIN reports that severe water shortages in parts of Cote d'Ivoire are "reaching critical levels and threatening public health," according to residents and officials. The state water company "said the problems in the north of the country were due to poor maintenance of water supply systems resulting from years of political strife," IRIN writes, noting that residents are at risk of contracting guinea worm and cholera from using water from contaminated sources (1/19).