SECRETARY-GENERAL WARMLY WELCOMES ‘ACTING TOGETHER FOR KENYA’ AGREEMENT,

SAYS BREAKTHROUGH OFFERS HOPE FOR RETURN TO DECEMBER STABILITY

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

The Secretary-General warmly welcomes the “Agreement on the Principles of Partnership of the Coalition Government” announced in Nairobi today.  The “Acting Together for Kenya” agreement marks a breakthrough towards resolving the crisis and gives hope to the people of Kenya for a return to democratic stability in their country.  He commends President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga for the spirit of compromise they demonstrated in reaching this accord.  He also congratulates Kofi Annan and the Panel of Eminent African Personalities for their pivotal contribution in the mediation.

Moving ahead, the focus must be on implementing the agreements reached thus far and coming to further accord on the longer-term issues which this crisis has brought to the forefront in Kenya.  Every effort should be made to involve the people of Kenya at all levels in the process.  Even as today’s agreements are celebrated, urgent attention is also still required to lessen tensions in the communities and to overcome the serious humanitarian situation in the country.

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For information media • not an official record