Cote d'Ivoire to officially launch population census on March 1

A ceremony to officially launch Cote d'Ivoire's General Population and Housing Census (RGPH) will take place on March 1, 2014 in the central town of Bouake, 379 km from Abidjan, a source close to the organizing committee told Xinhua on Wednesday. RGPH's communication director Serikpa Gnadji said the ceremony will bring together about 3,000 people in Bouake stadium. After the ceremony, Gnadja said, a sensitization campaign through the media will be launched across the country. The 2014 general population and housing census initially scheduled to take place in November last year was pushed to March 10 to April 9 across the West African country. The census was supposed to be conducted in 2008, after conducted in 1975, 1988 and 1998. This year, it is estimated to cost 12 billion CFA Francs (over 25 million U.S. dollars), out of which 7 billion CFA Francs will be mobilized by the government and the rest by international financial partners. Cote d'Ivoire's population was last put at 23 million.