UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Brig. Gen. Abdul Hafiz of Bangladesh to lead the UN military observers' contingent in Cote d'Ivoire (MINUCI), according to an information received yesterday.

The decision of the appointment of Gen Hafiz to the post of Chief Military Liaison Officer of the MINUCI, effective Wednesday, was communicated to the president of the UN Security Council.

The UN secretary-general also informed the Security Council president that Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, China, India, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, the Republic of Moldova, Senegal, Tunisia and Uruguay have agreed to provide military liaison officers for the initial group of 26 officers.

MINUCI was established last month to help guide efforts to implement a French-brokered peace accord reached in January that calls on the government, rebels and political opposition to share power in a transitional government until elections in 2005.

The new mission includes a military component to complement the operations of the French and the forces of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The task of the military liaison group includes advising the secretary-general's Special Representative Albert Tevoedine, on military matters, monitoring the military situation, including the security of Liberian refugees and establishing links with the French and ECOWAS forces.