13 May 2003
The Security Council adopts its resolution 1479 establishing the United Nations Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (MINUCI).

23 June 2003
The group of 26 military liaison officers authorized for the initial deployment under Security Council resolution 1479 (2003) is deployed to Côte d'Ivoire.

26 June – 5 July 2003
The Security Council mission visits Guinea-Bissau (27 and 28 June), Nigeria (28 and 29 June), Ghana (29 and 30 June) and Côte d’Ivoire (30 June-2 July). The mission suggests (S/2003/688) that MINUCI pays serious attention to the important lessons learned from a similar experience in Sierra Leone.

23 September 2003
Forces Nouvelles, one of the armed opposition groups, walks out of the Government of National Reconciliation which was created under the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement signed on 23 January 2003 by all Ivorian political forces. The Secretary-General calls upon this group to resume participation in the Government and to seek solutions to their grievances through dialogue and through the good offices of the Monitoring Committee, which oversees the implementation of the Marcoussis Agreement under the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Albert Tevoedjre.

3 October 2003
Security Council members express concern that implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement has been slowed and that sporadic violence has erupted and call on all parties in Côte d'Ivoire, particularly the Forces Nouvelles, to adhere to the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.

13 November 2003
The Security Council extends (resolution 1514) MINUCI’s mandate for three months until 4 February 2004.

24 November 2003
A ministerial delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led by the Foreign Minister of Ghana, Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo arrives at the UN Headquarters and conveys an appeal from the sub-regional organization to the Security Council to consider strengthening the ECOWAS forces in Côte d’Ivoire (ECOMICI) and transforming them into a United Nations peacekeeping force; The Secretary General informs the Security Council of his intention to dispatch an assessment mission to Côte d’Ivoire to collect the necessary information on the ground.

3 –11 December 2003
A multi-departmental assessment mission headed by Mr. Hédi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, visits Côte d’Ivoire.

4 December 2003
The Security Council expresses grave concern over the attempts on the part of “armed elements”, observed on November 29 and 30 by ECOWAS and French forces, to cross the ceasefire line, and by the serious consequences that could arise as a result.

5 December 2003
In his report (S/2003/1147) on implementation of the recommendations of the Security Council mission to West Africa, the Secretary General expresses his “fervent hope” that members of the Security Council give full consideration to the pressing call by ECOWAS leaders for an increase in the troop strength of MINUCI and for its transformation into a United Nations peacekeeping mission.

7 December 2003
The Forces Nouvelles releases 40 FANCI and police personnel who have been prisoners of war.

13 December 2003
The FANCI and Forces Nouvelles begin dismantling their checkpoints and withdrawing heavy weapons from the “zone of confidence”.

22 December 2003
The Forces Nouvelles announces that it has decided to end its boycott of the Government.

6 January 2004
Forces Nouvelles, for the first time since September 2003, take part in the meeting of the Côte d’Ivoire Council of Ministers. The Secretary-General welcomes this fact and expresses hope that the return of the Forces Nouvelles to the Government will give fresh impetus to the peace process.

The Secretary-General recommends (S/2004/3) that should the parties make progress by February 4 2004, the Security Council should consider authorizing the deployment of a UN peacekeeping operation.

4 February 2004
The Security Council extends MINUCI's mandate until 27 February 2004 and renews until the same date its authorization of the West African (ECOMICI) and the French (Licorne) peacekeeping forces for their present deployment in Côte d'Ivoire. The Council also requested the Secretary-General, pending a decision on the reinforcement of the United Nations presence in Côte d’Ivoire, to prepare the deployment of a possible peacekeeping operation within five weeks after such a decision by the Council.

13 February 2004
The military leaders of MINUCI, UNMIL and UNAMSIL meet in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire to coordinate their operations and strengthen sub-regional cross-border security. Military coordination among the three peacekeeping missions has included measures to promote the easy exchange of information, greater coordination and rapid intervention when necessary.

27 February 2004
The Secretary-General tells the Security Council that the Ivorian parties have taken some significant steps in the right direction and the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission will show “that the international community is determined to support this progress and to help ensure that there is no turning back.”