South African President Thabo Mbeki will visit Cote d'Ivoire on Tuesday to mediate in the ongoing civil conflict in the West African country, South Africa's Presidency and the Foreign Ministry announced on Monday night.  

Mbeki was mandated by the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the weekend to help mediate a political solution to fresh fighting in the country, following armed conflict resumed there last week when government aircraft attacked targets in rebel held areas.

"South Africa's humble acceptance of this mandate is consistent with its ongoing desire to find political solutions to conflict situations on the continent of Africa," said a statement jointly issued by the Presidency and the Foreign Ministry of South Africa.

"To that end, we remain committed to working closely with the AU, ECOWAS and the leadership of Cote d'Ivoire with a view to assisting the people of Cote d'Ivoire to develop a political solution to the current challenges," the statement said.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said Mbeki would be accompanied by Defense Minister Mosiuoa Lekota and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad.

The African Union asked Mbeki to help find a political solution to renewed unrest in Cote d'Ivoire after nine French soldiers were reportedly killed in bombing attacks by government troops on Saturday.

French forces reportedly retaliated by destroying two Cote d'Ivoire fighter jets, and taking control of Abidjan airport.

Some 10,000 UN and French peacekeepers are policing a buffer zone which split the former French colony into a rebel-held north and a government-run south since a civil war grew out of a failed attempt by soldiers to oust President Laurent Gbagbo in September 2002. And the Linas Marcoussis Agreement, brokered last year under pressure from France and others, ended major fighting.

But the rebels refused to start disarming in mid-October after the government failed to conduct legislative reforms as required by the accords.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2004)