Elected president of the Movement for Democratic Alternation Party, Madem-G15, obtained 53, 55% of the votes; voting had almost a third abstentions; First-round winner Domingos Simões Pereira of Guinea's largest political party, Paigc, obtained 46.45% of the valid votes.

The Secretary-General's special envoy to West Africa, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, congratulated the Guinea-Bissau Electoral Commission for announcing the results of the December 29 presidential election.

On Thursday, the body proclaimed candidate Umaro Sissoco Embaló of the Movement for Democratic Alternation, Madem-G15, as the winner of the electoral race.

Climate

Envoy said the Electoral Commission had an exemplary conduct of the process. The president-elect is a reserve general and former prime minister. He obtained 53.55% of the valid votes after running the second round with the also former Prime Minister Domingos Simões Pereira who obtained 46.45%. Simões Pereira was the candidate of Guinea-Bissau's largest political party, Paigc, and was the winner of the first round with more than 40% of the valid votes.

According to electoral officials, the abstention rate was over 27% and higher than in the first round, when a quarter of voters did not attend the polls.

Chambas was in the country following the election activities from December 28 to 31. The envoy praised the Guineans for “the smooth running of the elections and the peaceful climate that prevailed throughout the electoral process”.

Also head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Unowas, praised the two candidates for "tolerance and elegance in accepting the results." He also called on all members of the political forces to continue to show "maturity and moderation during this post-election period."

Complaints

According to news agencies, shortly after the result, on Wednesday, defeated candidate Domingos Simões Pereira contested the finding by stating that there were allegations of irregularities in some parts of the country. He said he will take the issue to Paigc leadership to study what legal action to take.

This Thursday, Simões Pereira published in a social network that "is at peace" with himself with his conscience and his reason. He said his agenda was Guinea-Bissau and the fight would continue.

Development

The UN Special Envoy's note noted that the Electoral Commission had an exemplary conduct in the process, which Chambas said "marks an important step forward in the democratic development of Guinea-Bissau."

The envoy concluded by reiterating the United Nations commitment to continue supporting the government and people of Guinea-Bissau in their efforts to consolidate peace and development in the Portuguese-speaking African nation.