The United Nations Security Council has issued a statement saying that the Opposition candidate in Ivory Coast, Alassane Quattara, won the Presidential election. The Council decision was earlier held up by Russian opposition. Its representative at the Security Council argued that supporting one candidate in a disputed poll exceeded the UN mandate even though the UN mission in Ivory Coast was specifically tasked to certify the election result. The Council said, it was following the lead of the West African regional grouping ECOWAS which has recognised Mr. Quattara as President-elect.