Guterres welcomes conduct of Afghan elections, commends ‘all who braved security concerns to uphold their right to vote’

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the conduct of presidential elections in Afghanistan on 28 September and commended all Afghans “who exercised their democratic voice and upheld their right to vote, braving security concerns”. “[The Secretary-General] congratulates them on their commitment to selecting their leaders through the ballot box,” according to a statement issue by a UN spokesperson on Sunday. The UN chief encouraged all stakeholders to enable the electoral institutions to exercise their responsibilities in full, “including by addressing any complaints through the appropriate channels and procedures.” In a similar vein, as the polls closed on Saturday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) tweeted: “Patience and level-headedness now required for Afghanistan electoral bodies necessary time to conduct their work counting votes, reviewing complaints and announcing results. Parties must meet their obligations, respecting codes of conduct and helping ensure stability in period ahead. “UNAMA commends all voters who cast their ballots … and all the Afghan actors who helped make it possible. The mission condemns those who resorted to intimidation and violence to try and derail democracy,” the mission said earlier on Twitter.