UN urges Ivory Coast to keep Nov. 29 election date
UNITED NATIONS, May 15 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged all parties involved in Ivory Coast's planned presidential election to respect the announced Nov. 29 date and work together in the runup to polling.
A statement from Ban's office said he "urges all Ivorian parties to respect this date and to work together to complete the remaining tasks related to the electoral process."
Ban said the United Nations would continue to provide the necessary support to help the country organize elections.
Ivory Coast Prime Minister Guillaume Soro announced the date for the long-delayed presidential election on Thursday.
The poll is meant to reunite the world's top cocoa grower after a brief 2002-2003 war left the north of the country in the hands of rebels. Previous election deadlines have slipped during a tortuous United Nations-backed peace process.
A statement from Ban's office said he "urges all Ivorian parties to respect this date and to work together to complete the remaining tasks related to the electoral process."
Ban said the United Nations would continue to provide the necessary support to help the country organize elections.
Ivory Coast Prime Minister Guillaume Soro announced the date for the long-delayed presidential election on Thursday.
The poll is meant to reunite the world's top cocoa grower after a brief 2002-2003 war left the north of the country in the hands of rebels. Previous election deadlines have slipped during a tortuous United Nations-backed peace process.
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