After Peaceful Presidential Elections in Burundi, Secretary-General Calls for Resumption of Inclusive Political Dialogue

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

The Secretary-General takes note of the broadly peaceful conduct of polling in the Burundian presidential elections on 21 July.  He calls on all parties to continue to remain calm and immediately resume an inclusive political dialogue to resolve their differences and address the challenges facing the country.

The Secretary-General reminds the Burundian authorities of their responsibility to guarantee and protect the safety and security of the civilian population and ensure an end to further acts of violence as well as accountability for any human rights violations committed.

The Secretary-General calls on the Burundian parties to engage in good faith in the political dialogue putting Burundi’s national interests first and fully determined to implement the relevant outstanding provisions of the 6 July East African Community (EAC) summit outcome document, under the high-level facilitation of President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.  The United Nations remains committed to working closely with the EAC and African Union to help find a lasting solution in Burundi.

In this regard, the Secretary-General welcomes the deployment of African Union human rights observers and military experts aimed at helping to prevent an escalation of violence and facilitating a peaceful resolution of the serious political crisis affecting Burundi.