Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire - Cote d'Ivoire's new authorities Monday took over the Felix Houphouet-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan, which had been under the control of French forces since 3 April. 'We handed over the control tower to the Ivorian authorities on Monday morning,' Captain Frederick Daguillon, spokesman for the French Licorne forces, said. At the height of the post-election crisis, the UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire was deployed to the airport to take over the control tower (on 31 March), before handing it over to the French forces to regulate air traffic and facilitate the repatriation of foreigners. The UN and French forces are still deployed in cities and municipalities across the country, carrying out patrols along with the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI).

The arrest of former President Laurent Gbagbo 11 April ended the long-drawn post-election crisis in the West African nation.

The arrest paved the way for the winner of last November's presidential election, Alassane Ouattara, to assume office.

Pana 20/04/2011