Friday in New York, the Spokesperson of Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, sent a message to the Haitian people from the Secretary-General on the upcoming elections in Haiti.

Statement attributable to the Spokesman of the Secretary-General on Haiti :

"The Secretary-General welcomes the upcoming presidential, legislative and local elections in Haiti, which will begin on 9 August with the first round of legislative polls.

These long-awaited elections constitute a major milestone for democracy in Haiti.

The Secretary-General, in particular, welcomes the increased ownership of the process by the Haitian people. Credible, inclusive and transparent elections are a key to long-term stability and promotion of a vibrant democracy.

The Secretary-General urges the political parties, candidates and their supporters to campaign peacefully and to resolve any disputes that may arise through dialogue and established legal procedures. He invites all Haitians to participate and exercise their democratic right to vote for the renewal of their institutions of governance.

The United Nations stands side by side with the Haitian people and will continue to extend its full support to this important process."

HL/ HaitiLibre