SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON PLEASED AT SUCCESSFUL ELECTIONS, HIGH VOTER TURNOUT

IN SIERRA LEONE; urges CALM, public order, AS BALLOT COUNTING CONTINUES

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General was pleased to learn that polling in Sierra Leone’s presidential and parliamentary elections was successfully conducted on 11 August in a generally peaceful atmosphere, with high voter turnout.  The Secretary-General congratulates the people of Sierra Leone for showing their commitment to the consolidation of peace and democracy in their country and commends the National Electoral Commission and Sierra Leone’s security agencies for putting in place security and administrative arrangements that facilitated the efficient conduct of the polling process.  He also thanks all national and international stakeholders that provided material and technical support to the Electoral Commission, or fielded observers for the elections.

As the counting of ballots continues over the coming days, the Secretary-General urges all Sierra Leoneans to preserve an atmosphere of calm and public order, and to resolve any potential disputes through the established legal channels.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record