UN chief commends peaceful vote in Liberia

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday welcomed the peaceful conduct of the second round of the presidential election in Liberia, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres, in a statement.

The UN chief announced that he is sending former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo to support the country in the first peaceful transfer of power from one democratically-elected leader to another in more than 70 years, added Dujarric.

"The Secretary-General hopes that the will of the Liberian electorate will be respected and that a seamless transfer power will take place within constitutional timelines," said Dujarric.

Liberians on Tuesday voted in a second round of elections, deciding between Vice-President Joseph Boakai and George Weah, a politician and former soccer star.

The first round of elections in the west African country was held in October. A runoff was originally scheduled for November, but was delayed due to allegations of voter irregularities by a third candidate.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly in September, outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman elected as head of an African country, said that the polls would signal an "irreversible course" towards democracy in the country.

Sirleaf took office in 2006, ending a civil war that erupted under the leadership of her predecessor, Charles Taylor. Enditem