SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PEACEFUL FIRST ROUND OF ELECTIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Press Release
SG/SM/6806
AFR/115
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PEACEFUL FIRST ROUND OF ELECTIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
19981125 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Kofi Annan:The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic has reported to the Secretary-General that the first round of the legislative elections in the Central African Republic took place without major incidents on 22 November, as planned.
The 109 seats in the Legislative Assembly were contested by over 800 candidates representing 29 political parties and including 107 independent candidates. According to the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA), voter turnout appeared to be high, especially in Bangui, with very few irregularities reported. In accordance with Security Council resolution 1201 (1998) of 15 October, MINURCA played a crucial role in the delivery of electoral materials, as well as in the maintenance of law and order during the electoral process and in the monitoring of the elections. Some 80 United Nations electoral observers were deployed in Bangui and in all regions of the country for this purpose. The provision of security by MINURCA enabled the international observers, who also included representatives of the European Union, to cover more than the envisaged 25 per cent of the polling stations in Bangui and in the provinces.
The Secretary-General welcomes the peaceful and orderly manner in which this first round of legislative elections has been conducted. He congratulates the Government and people of the Central African Republic, the Independent Electoral Commission, as well as all staff of MINURCA and United Nations agencies operating in the country, for this important step in the peace process in the Central African Republic. As vote counting proceeds, the Secretary-General looks forward to the successful completion of the legislative election process.
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