Secretary-General Commends People of Sudan for Largely Peaceful Election Process,

Says Stands as ‘Demonstration of Their Commitment to Democracy’

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

Following the announcement of the Sudanese elections results by the National Electoral Commission, the Secretary-General commends the people of Sudan for participating in the largely peaceful elections process, in spite of numerous challenges.  This stands as a demonstration of their commitment to democracy.

The Secretary-General takes note of the preliminary reports of observer groups detailing both the successes and shortcomings of the elections, as well as of a number of security incidents.  The Secretary-General calls on the authorities and political parties of Sudan to continue to resolve by peaceful means any matters arising from contested results or other irregularities.

The Secretary-General hopes that this election exercise will be a significant step towards opening up political space in the country and contribute to the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The Secretary-General  calls on the CPA partners and other Sudanese political actors to make rapid progress with the preparations for the next and the final phase of CPA implementation, the conduct of the referenda on self- determination in Southern Sudan and Abyei.

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For information media • not an official record