Ahead of Presidential Election in Gabon, Secretary-General Calls for Continued Peaceful Atmosphere, Welcomes Deployment of Observers

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

On the eve of the presidential election in Gabon, the Secretary-General calls on all Gabonese to exercise their civic duty responsibly and looks forward to the holding of the poll in a peaceful and credible manner.

The Secretary-General commends the Government of Gabon and the Autonomous and Permanent National Electoral Commission for the timely preparations for the election.  He further welcomes the deployment of regional and international election observers in Gabon and stresses the importance of the free and responsible participation of the media.

The Secretary-General urges all political stakeholders, in particular the candidates, to exercise restraint, abstain from any acts of incitement or the use of inflammatory statements, and maintain a peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the election.  He calls on all candidates to contribute to the integrity of the electoral process by addressing any complaints that may arise through established legal and constitutional channels.