Welcoming End of Guinea Election Process, Secretary-General Congratulates

President-Elect, Urging Promotion of National Unity

 

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

The Secretary-General welcomes the conclusion of the presidential election process in Guinea following the 3 December 2010 certification by the Supreme Court of the final results of the 7 November run-off polls.  The Secretary-General commends the people of Guinea, the national authorities, political leaders and their supporters for the conduct of the election and calls on all Guineans to accept the results and to move forward in peace and national reconciliation towards a stable and prosperous future.  The Secretary-General congratulates Mr. [Alpha] Condé on his election and trusts that the President-elect will spare no effort in consolidating and promoting national unity.

The Secretary-General deplores the episodes of violence, reports of human rights violations and the allegations of excessive use of force by the security forces following the release of the provisional results on 15 November.  He was saddened by the resulting loss of life and sends his condolences to the families of the victims.  He emphasizes the need to respect international human rights standards and calls on the security forces to ensure the protection of all Guineans.  He warns those who may incite or perpetrate violence that they will be held accountable.

The Secretary-General commends the efforts of all those who worked tirelessly for a peaceful transition in Guinea, including Guinea’s leaders, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, in his capacity as the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) Mediator for Guinea, representatives of the African Union and ECOWAS, and Guinea’s other international partners.  The United Nations will continue to support national reconciliation, peacebuilding and development efforts in Guinea.

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For information media • not an official record