SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN ON EXERCISING

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE IN EXTREMELY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT

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

The Secretary-General would like to congratulate the women and men of Afghanistan on today’s Presidential and Provincial Council elections.  He notes that, by exercising their constitutional right to vote, the Afghan people have demonstrated again their desire for stability and development in their country.

The Secretary-General commends the Independent Election Commission, and all other Afghan institutions and international stakeholders supporting the electoral process for organizing the elections in an extremely challenging environment.  He encourages all candidates, their agents and supporters to continue cooperating with all Afghan electoral institutions during the counting of ballots and the results aggregation period, the complaints and adjudication process and the certification of results.

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For information media • not an official record