As elections draw near, UN chief sends special envoy to Burundi

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Monday 22 Jun 2015 - 13:33 Makkah mean time-5-9-1436 Abdoulaye Bathily (Google image) Bujumbura (IINA) – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced the  dispatch of his Special Representative and Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa Abdoulaye Bathily to the Burundian capital Bujumbura on Sunday. “The Secretary-General has requested (Mr. Bathily) to offer good offices in Burundi in support of regional efforts to reduce tensions and help Burundians peacefully settle their differences," said a UN statement. Special Representative…will work closely with the African Union (AU), the East African Community and the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region, the statement said. The UN chief also welcomed the communiqué of the meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council, held in Johansburg on June 13, at the level of heads of state and government, which provides “a clear way forward towards peaceful and credible elections in Burundi. Ban expressed deep gratitude to his Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region Said Djinnit for his “tireless efforts”, “impartially” facilitating the dialogue among Burundian stakeholders during May and June of this year, the statement added. As elections draw near, the UN chief called on all Burundian political leaders to address the current political crisis with the highest sense of responsibility. He urged them to resume political dialogue “earnestly”, with a view to creating an environment conducive for peaceful, credible and inclusive elections. Burundi's political crisis erupted when President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to seek a third term despite the two-term limit set by the country's constitution. Burundi's elections are scheduled for July 15. AB/IINA