World Bank Freezes Ivory Coast Financing
World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick gestures as he answers to reporters after a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace, Paris, Dec 22, 2010
The World Bank says it has frozen financing for Ivory Coast, where incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo is clinging to power in the face of global criticism.
World Bank President Robert Zoellick announced the freeze Wednesday, after talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris.
The move increases pressure on Mr. Gbagbo to hand power to rival Alassane Ouattara, the internationally-recognized winner of last month＇s presidential election.
Earlier Wednesday, France urged its citizens to leave Ivory Coast, after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned the country faces "a real risk" of return to civil war.
Mr. Ban on Tuesday said the situation could become critical within days, and accused forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo of trying to blockade the U.N. mission in Ivory Coast.
Mr. Gbagbo insisted on Tuesday he is the true president of Ivory Coast, but said he did not want more bloodshed in his country. He said he is willing to allow envoys from the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations to form a panel to study the post-election crisis.
A spokesman for Mr. Ouattara has rejected that offer, calling it a game.
Mr. Ban said there has been an alarming increase in violence in the past week and said the United Nations has confirmed that mercenaries are being recruited from neighboring countries.
The United Nations says more than 50 people have been killed in recent days and says it has received hundreds of reports of people being abducted from their homes by armed assailants in military uniforms.
Nigeria said Tuesday it evacuated families of diplomats serving in Abidjan because of the intensifying standoff. Reuters news agency quotes Nigeria＇s Foreign Minister Odein Ajumogobia as saying the Nigerian embassy in Abidjan was attacked.
In another development, the United States Tuesday imposed travel sanctions against Mr. Gbagbo and his supporters, following a similar move by the European Union on Monday.
U.S. officials say the travel sanctions are only the opening move in an international campaign that will steadily ratchet up the pressure on Mr. Gbagbo to accept the election results and leave the country.
West African leaders plan to hold an emergency summit Friday to discuss the political crisis in Ivory Coast. The Economic Community of West African States has already recognized Mr. Ouattara as the winner of last month＇s election and called for the Mr. Gbagbo to step down.
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