28th July, 2018
The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of UN Mission for Mali, Mahamat Annadif, said any dispute over the forthcoming presidential election in the country slated for Sunday, must be resolved peacefully,
Annadif stressed that candidates must accept the results and ensure that the democratic process in Mali, was“irreversible”.
“It is necessary that everybody goes to vote in a peaceful way and the actors competing in this election accept the ballot box results”, said the UN envoy.
He said while the security condition was fragile, it was adequate for a successful round of voting on Sunday.
“Any dispute must be resolved through arbitration by the Malian institutions in charge.
“As the 2013 elections restored constitutional order, the 2018 elections must reassure that the democratic process in Mali is irreversible”, Annadif stressed.
The UN mission is providing technical assistance to the Malian authorities, and helping to create conditions conducive for the holding of credible and peaceful elections.
This includes the preparation and distribution of electoral materials, backup security support, as well as helping to transport and train electoral officials.
The mission has also made transportation available for all candidates to reach remote northern and central parts of the country, for campaigning purposes.
MINSUMA said it had transported 200 tonnes of electoral material and distributed it in all the northern regions, and flown 300 different people related to the whole electoral process.
These include the Independent National Electoral Commission delegates, Constitutional Court delegates, as well as international and national observers, including those from the African Union, the European Union and the ECOWAS.
The spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said the security situation remained volatile, with local intercommunal tensions still high, heightening the risk of criminal and terrorist actions in the north and the centre.
“So far, however, there have been no major incidents related to the electoral process,” Dujarric said.
The spokesman said that Annadif was proactively seeking to ensure that any electoral-related dispute is resolved peacefully and in accordance with the law.