UN staff in Côte d'Ivoire pack their bags

United Nations staff in Côte d'Ivoire are packing their bags and leaving the west African country on Tuesday amid fears that the presidential standoff could turn nasty. All non-essential staff for the UN mission have been asked to leave and up to 460 could be relocated.

Reuters

“The transfer is in progress. These non-essential staff have begun leaving the country,” said a UN official cited by the AFP news agency.

It is thought that the staff would be moved to Gambia. This comes as west African leaders are meeting in Abuja for discussions on the post-election crisis.

The meeting comes at a crucial time, with fears of unrest in Côte d'Ivoire and threats of sanctions looming.

Ecowas has a range of options it could put on the table, analysts say, including suspending Ivory Coast or threatening targeted sanctions, such as travel restrictions for individuals.