SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCERNED BY HEIGHTENED POLITICAL TENSION IN NIGER

FOLLOWING PRESIDENT’S DECISION TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT

 

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

The Secretary-General is concerned over recent developments in Niger and the heightened political tension in the country following the President’s decision to dissolve Parliament.  These developments come at a time when Niger had made significant progress in the efforts to resolve the Tuareg conflict and to consolidate democratic and economic progress.

The Secretary-General urges all parties to act in full respect of the country’s Constitution and to refrain from any action that would undermine Niger’s democratic gains, as well as the stability of the country.  He welcomes the recent initiatives launched by regional leaders and urges Niger’s stakeholders to extend the fullest cooperation to those initiatives in order to resolve the current problems peacefully.

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For information media • not an official record