Secretary-General Welcomes Presidential Decrees for Haiti’s Upcoming Elections

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

The Secretary-General welcomes the presidential decrees of 24 and 29 June, mandating Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council to organize the upcoming presidential and legislative elections on 28 November.

The Secretary-General calls on the Government of Haiti, the Provisional Electoral Council, political parties and all Haitians to ensure that the upcoming elections are transparent and credible and serve to reinforce Haiti’s democratic institutions as the country strives to recover from the worst humanitarian crisis in its history.

The Secretary-General reiterates the United Nations commitment to provide comprehensive support to the Haitian authorities in the preparation and conduct of the elections.  To this end, United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have already begun putting in place the capacities required to provide security, logistical and technical assistance.

The Secretary-General encourages United Nations Member States, especially those participating in the Task Force on Elections, to ensure that the financial resources required for electoral operations and the smooth running of the elections are made available as soon as possible.

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For information media • not an official record