UN General Assembly
2003

progress, including the 3 May 2003 signing of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement between the Forces armées nationales de Côte d’Ivoire (FANCI) and the Forces nouvelles — the former armed rebellion; the establishment of a consensus national disarmament, 21 demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme; the normalization of relations between Côte d’Ivoire and its neighbours, including the reopening of rail service from Abidjan to Ouagadougou; the 4 July 2003 joint declaration by the two parties of an end to hostilities; and, above all, the passing of an amnesty law on 6 August 2003. It should be pointed out that that law does not provide amnesty for common crimes and offences, including crimes related to violations of human rights, which must be investigated. With regard to human rights, Côte d’Ivoire, despite the severe crisis it is experiencing, has constantly placed respect for the human person at the centre of its concerns. In addition, despite its meagre financial capacity, it has been tireless in pursuing its original policy of welcoming refugees, whose numbers have increased due to the crisis in neighbouring