Secretary-General Welcomes Peaceful Holding of Local Elections in Nepal as Crucial Step towards Federalism, Representative Governance

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General welcomes the holding of the third phase of the local elections on 18 September and congratulates the people of Nepal for the peaceful conduct of the polls.  This marks a crucial step in the transition towards federalism as enshrined in the 2015 Constitution, and will be followed by elections to state assemblies and the Federal Parliament.

The Secretary-General encourages the Government of Nepal and political parties to continue their efforts towards ensuring peaceful and inclusive upcoming elections.  He also encourages all stakeholders to continue the implementation of the Constitution in line with its principles of inclusion and representative governance.

The United Nations stands ready to support such efforts.