Presidential Elections – 2nd round: free, transparent and fair - International Community

20 May 2014

Presidential Elections – 2nd round: free, transparent and fair - International Community

19 May 2014 - The assessment of the second round of presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau was made today by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN in a meeting with International Partners , which unanimously recognized the free , fair and transparent elections.

José Ramos-Horta met in the capital with the representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa (UEMOA), La Francophonie, the African Union (AU), the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) and European Union (EU).

The Nobel Peace Laureate has put emphasis on post- elections period, drawing two steps in establishing much needed support to national reconstruction: the first from July to December 2014 and the second from 2015 onwards.

The head of AU observers mission, former President of Mozambique Joaquim Chissano, highlighted the "well organized" elections by UNDP, without major incidents to be recorded, in line with ECOWAS, which acknowledge the political parties respect for the Electoral Code of Conduct, stressing that no incident had the slightest impact on the peaceful exercise of citizenship and, therefore, on the credibility of the suffrage itself.

The same position was defended by Francophonie, CPLP and the European Union, which promised to continue supporting Guinea-Bissau.

All thanked SRSG, José Ramos-Horta, for the efforts made in the last year to make the legislative and presidential elections be a success in Guinea-Bissau.

On Sunday, Jose Ramos-Horta and a UNIOGBIS team monitored throughout the journey, from the opening of the polling station at 07:00, until its closure, at 17:00, several neighborhoods in the capital and beyond. The two presidential candidates voted under great media coverage.
SRSG told journalists: "The winner shall gather all Guinean brothers in the same family, knowing how to heal past wounds and stabilize the country for economic development."

José Ramos-Horta mentioned " some incidents without major consequence: "In Bafatá and Bissau, which I abstain to comment, awaiting detailed reports by the investigation committee appointed for the purpose", he said.