A/HRC/31/78 Report of the Independent Expert on capacity-building and technical cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire in the field of human rights Summary This report is the outcome of the Independent Expert’s third visit to Côte d’Ivoire, which took place from 2 to 12 November 2015, and covers the period from 1 September to 31 December 2015. The Independent Expert is pleased to highlight the fact that presidential elections were held peacefully on 25 October 2015. A majority of the national and international observers who were present agreed that the elections had conformed to international standards. The Independent Expert applauds the sound judgement displayed by the political community of Côte d’Ivoire and encourages its members to proceed along its chosen path with a view to consolidating the peace and maintaining the ground that has been gained in terms of economic and human development. The Independent Expert notes with satisfaction that, in his inaugural address of 4 November 2015, the President of Côte d’Ivoire identified national reconciliation as a priority for his second term in office. Reconciliation necessarily entails ensuring that justice is served, and the Independent Expert wishes once again to encourage the Ivorian authorities to continue their efforts to ensure that the crimes committed in the past do not go unpunished. A greater degree of balance is now being achieved in terms of the legal action being taken against the two camps that took part in the violence that broke out following the 2010 and 2011 elections. The findings of the National Commission of Inquiry are now being drawn upon with a view to striking that necessary balance in the interests of justice and reconciliation. The investigations currently under way have been hampered by the difficulties encountered by the teams in charge of exhuming the remains of victims of the crisis that erupted in the wake of the elections in the western part of the country. These problems have blocked the progress of the investigation into reports of numerous bodies having been thrown into wells in Nahibly and the work being done to uncover a number of mass graves; in addition, exhumations have not yet begun i n the southwestern region of the country. In order to respect the traditions and sensibilities of the population, a great deal of tact is called for in dealing with these cases. In addition, in some instances, exhumations have been hampered by a lack of logistical support. The Independent Expert emphasizes the need to tackle these problems without delay while, at the same time, strictly upholding due process guarantees. The right of defendants and other accused persons to stand trial within a reasonable time is a pivotal component of those guarantees. The Independent Expert welcomes the praiseworthy efforts of the Ivorian authorities to build the capacity of the justice system by constructing and renovating courthouses, developing plans for the construction and renovation of places of detention and providing training to judges and other judicial personnel. The Independent Expert applauds the Government’s efforts to provide compensation to victims of serious human rights violations and underscores the importance of expediting the identification of victims, clarifying the eligibility criteria and providing victims with swift access to redress. In order to respond to victims ’ legitimate expectations, coordination between the National Commission on Reconciliation and Compensation for Victims and the National Programme for Social 2/23 GE.16-00901