Africa

Africa

UN urges Sierra Leonean parties, candidates to accept results of elections

30 November 2012 23:56 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The UN Security Council on Friday called upon all political parties and candidates in Sierra Leone to accept the results of the Nov. 17 elections and work with the government "in a constructive manner," APA reports quoting Xinhua

A presidential statement, adopted here by the 15-nation UN body, said, "The Security Council calls upon all political parties and candidates to accept the results and to work with the government of Sierra Leone in a constructive manner through national dialogue and reconciliation."

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon extended his congratulations to Sierra Leone's incumbent president, Ernest Bai Koroma, the people and institutions of the West African country on "the successful and peaceful elections."

Koroma has won a second term with 58.7 percent of the vote, and opposition leader Julius Maada Bio came in second with 37.4 percent, according to results published on Friday by the nation's National Electoral Commission. Koroma was elected president in 2007.

The elections were the third set of national polls held in Sierra Leone since the end of the 10-year civil war in the West African country in 2002.

"The council urges all parties to resolve any grievances peacefully through the appropriate legal means in accordance with Sierra Leone's national law," the statement said.

"The Security Council underscores the significance of these elections and the wide acceptance of the results as a key benchmark of consolidating peace in Sierra Leone," the statement said.

Meanwhile, "the Security Council urges the international community and development partners to continue to provide coordinated and coherent support to Sierra Leone to meet its peacebuilding and development priorities," the statement added.