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UN chief hails Burkina Faso president inauguration as historic moment

Xinhua, December 30, 2015 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday congratulated Roch Marc Christian Kabore on his inauguration as president of Burkina Faso, hailing it as a historic moment for the country.

Kabore was sworn in as Burkina Faso's president on Tuesday, completing the transition period of the West African country.

"This is an historic moment for Burkina Faso. I commend the country's people and political leaders for their exemplary conduct and peaceful and responsible participation during the vote of Nov. 29 that successfully marked the end of the transition period," said Ban in his message on the inauguration, which was delivered by UN Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso.

"The successful completion of elections in Burkina Faso is a significant development not only for the country but also for the Sahel region, where socio-economic hardship and contested electoral processes continue to be a source of tension, and at a time when terrorist groups, illicit trafficking and irregular migration continue to threaten regional security," Ban said.

Ban also noted that many priorities await the new government, including moving ahead with an inclusive national reconciliation process and continuing to reform the security sector.

In this regard, Ban said the UN remains committed to supporting Burkina Faso "along the path of peace, democratic governance and equitable socio-economic development," and will continue to work with regional organizations to help the Sahel region in Africa to tackle the root causes of instability and fragility.

Kabore, 58, served as Burkina Faso's prime minister during the regime of ex-president Blaise Compaore from 1994 to 1996. He served as Speaker of the country's Parliament from 2002 to 2012.

Kabore is expected to restore constitutional normalcy in Burkina Faso after it was disrupted in October 2014 by a popular uprising that forced Compaore to resign after 27 years in power. Endit