Off the wire
• China's logistics activity stable in May  • No discrimination against Xinjiang people: Uygur official  • China's Zhang early leader in CLPGA Tour event  • Foreign exchange rates in India  • China, Azerbaijan pledge to deepen cooperation  • Urgent: 17 civilians kidnapped in N. Afghan province: official  • Former nurse demands state compensation for wrongful conviction  • China gearing up for college entrance exam  • Roundup: Latin America marks Children's Day by efforts to create better childhood  • Tokyo stocks close sharply lower as tax hike delay, Brexit concerns sends yen higher  
You are here: 　 Home

UN chief calls for early return to constitutional order in Haiti

Xinhua, June 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for an early return to constitutional order in Haiti so that a democratically elected leadership in the island nation can take on "the growing socio-economic and humanitarian challenges the country faces."

The secretary-general made the appeals after the Monday release of a report on the verification of the electoral process in Haiti, said a statement issued by Ban's spokesman.

A special verification commission in Haiti has recommended scrapping the disputed results of last October's first-round presidential election and holding a new vote.

Commission President Pierre Francois Benoit said "zombie votes" and other problems meant last year's ballot could not be considered legitimate.

Haiti has been mired in a deep political crisis since last year, which forced Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe to resign and left parliament in limbo after parliamentary elections were delayed.

The small Caribbean country has been under an interim president since February. A run-off vote had been due in April but was postponed.

Ban "is concerned that this situation has the potential to adversely affect international support to Haiti," the statement said. "He reiterates the need for a democratically elected leadership to take on the growing socio-economic and humanitarian challenges the country faces."

The secretary-general recalled the responsibility of the Provisional Presidency, the government and the Provisional Electoral Council to identify a way forward that guarantees the peaceful completion of the 2015 elections, said the statement.

"He exhorts all stakeholders to ensure a return to constitutional order as an urgent priority," the statement added.

"The secretary-general reaffirms the unwavering commitment of the United Nations to support the democratic aspirations of the Haitian people," the statement said. "He calls on all parties to contribute to the maintenance of security and stability in the country and actively discourage violence during this challenging period." Endi