SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PEACEFUL POLLS IN GABON

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the peaceful presidential elections in Gabon, calling on the people of the African nation to continue supporting the democratic process.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson yesterday, Mr. Ban urged all Gabonese "to ensure the will of the people is respected."

He also asked the people to heed the appeal by Interim President Rose Francine Rogombé "for calm and responsibility" as the votes from the 30 August polls are counted.

In June, the Secretary-General paid tribute to the late Gabonese president, Omar Bongo Ondimba, underscoring "the key role he played in the search for peace and stability not only in the Central Africa subregion, but also in other parts of the continent," according to a statement.
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BAN CALLS ON ALL AFGHANS TO CAST THEIR VOTES IN TOMORROW’S ELECTIONS

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged all eligible Afghan men and women to cast their ballots in tomorrow's presidential and provincial elections, saying their votes will play a crucial role in helping the country on the path towards greater stability and democracy.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said that by participating in the elections, "the Afghan people will help Afghanistan strengthen its democratic institutions, bring fresh vigour to the country's political life, and ultimately reaffirm their commitment to contribute to the peace and prosperity of their nation."

He also called on all election candidates, their supporters, political party agents and both domestic and international observers "to continue to cooperate with the Independent Election Commission, other relevant Afghan institutions and international stakeholders supporting electoral preparations, to ensure a smooth and successful electoral process."

Afghanistan has been beset by violence during the election campaign, including two suicide bomb attacks since the weekend in the capital, Kabul. In the latest attack, which occurred yesterday, two United Nations staff members were among those killed.

Earlier this month a report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) found that the prevailing insecurity was affecting preparations for the elections, especially for women.

Tomorrow's elections will feature an estimated 40 presidential candidates and another 3,195 candidates for the provincial council.
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SECURITY COUNCIL STRESSES NEED FOR FREE, FAIR AND SECURE AFGHAN POLLS NEXT MONTH

The Security Council today welcomed the Afghan-led preparations for next month's presidential and provincial council elections, and stressed the importance of "free, fair, transparent, credible, secure and inclusive" polls.

In a statement read out by Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda of Uganda, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, the 15-member body also called on the Afghan people "to exercise their vote in this historic opportunity for all Afghans to make their voices heard."

In addition, the Council stressed the importance of a secure environment for conducting elections, and condemned those who resort to violence to obstruct the electoral process.

While recognizing the ongoing efforts of the Afghan Government, it encouraged additional efforts by the authorities with the assistance of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to ensure security during the electoral period.

The presidential poll is scheduled to be held on 20 August, the date set by the country's Independent Electoral Commission.

Last month the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan told the Council that the August election is about more than choosing the country's leaders.

"It is about strengthening people's confidence in the democratic process, and about strengthening Afghanistan's institutions. It is not only about who will lead, but about the legitimacy of leadership," said Kai Eide, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

As part of its efforts to assist in the preparations for the polls, the Mission has issued a set of guidelines for the conduct of all those who are engaged in the elections – government officials, candidates, supporters, electoral officials and media and international representatives – related to the election campaign, the election day and the immediate post-election day process.

The UN has also been involved in the training of some 35,000 police officers ahead of the elections, and helped set up a toll-free election information hotline.
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IVORIAN POLITICAL PARTIES MUST ENSURE ELECTIONS WILL BE FREE AND FAIR – UN REPORT

Côte d'Ivoire's political parties have the responsibility for ensuring that much-delayed presidential elections, now scheduled to take place on 29 November, are held on time and are free, fair and transparent, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says, urging them to act appropriately.

In his latest report on the work of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Mr. Ban writes that he has been encouraged by the progress so far to identify and register more than 6.4 million eligible voters, the ongoing pre-electoral campaigning activities, and the parties' reaffirmation that all signatories of a 2003 peace accord are eligible to stand as candidates in the upcoming polls.

"It is important that the Ivorian parties sustain the progress achieved so far and complete, in a timely manner, the remaining stages of the peace process," the report states. "The parties should also preserve the prevailing positive political climate."

Mr. Ban says he looks forward to the immediate publication of what he called a "consensual and realistic timeline" for completing the remaining tasks ahead of the elections, including the publication of provisional and final lists of voters.

He also emphasizes the need for more progress towards reunification – in 2002 Côte d'Ivoire became divided between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north – before the elections, which were previously supposed to be conducted in 2005 and 2008.

"It is the political will and calculations of the main Ivorian political players that will ultimately determine whether or not the election date will be respected… Their successful conduct will place Côte d'Ivoire on the path to reclaim its place as a pillar of stability, democracy and development in the subregion."

The Secretary-General also states that if the elections can be staged successfully, they will constitute a benchmark that would provide a basis for devising an exit strategy for UNOCI, which was set up in 2004 to replace an earlier UN political mission.

In the interim, he recommends that UNOCI's mandate be extended through the end of January 2010.
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BAN WELCOMES DECREE SETTING UP TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT IN MAURITANIA

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the signing of a decree setting up a transitional government in Mauritania, which he hopes will pave the way for the holding of free and fair presidential elections next month.

A statement issued by his spokesperson said Mr. Ban considered the decree signed on 26 June "an important step towards the consolidation of democracy in the country."

President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallah, who was elected after multi-party democratic elections in 2007, was overthrown by the country's military last August in a move that was widely condemned, including by Mr. Ban and the United Nations Security Council.
"The Secretary-General hopes that the new transitional government, created through constructive dialogue between the main Mauritanian political parties, will lead the country towards a free, fair and transpar
ent presidential election, held in a safe environment, on 18 July 2009," said the statement.

Mr. Ban reiterated his gratitude to President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, the Chairman of the African Union and the facilitators who worked as part of the International Contact Group to assist the Mauritanian parties in finding "a consensual way out of the crisis."

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