Parliamentarians from African, the Caribbean and Pacific countries and the European Parliament call for investigations into all allegations of human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity
Maria da Graça Carvalho MEP, present in Budapest for the 21st meeting of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, said: "The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly was the first international parliamentary assembly who refused to recognise the results announced by the Constitutional Court of the Ivory Coast and by doing so giving support to the democratically-elected President Alassane Ouattara. We insist that there can be no impunity and that no efforts should be spared to identify and bring to justice all those responsible for crimes, regardless of whether they were committed by supporters of outgoing President Gbagbo or of the incoming President".
The EPP Group welcomes Ouattara's call for an end to violence and for reconciliation. In this respect, the EPP Group also calls on neighbouring countries not to give shelter to forces seeking to destabilise the Ivory Coast.
Maria da Graça Carvalho MEP continued: "I hope the Ivory Coast will embark on the road to prosperity and I am content that the export of cacao has been resumed after some months of suspension due to the crisis".
The EPP Group also called on the European Commission to step up its humanitarian aid, resume its development cooperation and to provide long-term support to the Ivory Coast.
The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which is currently holding its 21th plenary session, comprises 78 Members of the European Parliament and 78 parliamentarians from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.