World

Sierra Leone: Ernest Bai Koroma wins presidential election

| | 29 May 2013, 06:08 am
Washington, Nov 27: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated Ernest Bai Koroma on his win in Sierra Leone’s presidential election, and called on him and all political leaders in the country to maintain calm and work towards unity and reconciliation.

 According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban also lauded Sierra Leone’s institutions for carrying out recently the first presidential, parliamentary, local council and mayoral elections run entirely but he Government on a peaceful manner, saying that this demonstrates the people’s strong commitment to consolidating democracy and development.

For 11 years, Sierra Leone was torn by a civil war after the rebel Revolutionary United Front intervened in an attempt to overthrow the country’s then-President Joseph Momoh. 
The conflict, which lasted from 1991 to 2002, was often punctuated by acts of extreme brutality as marauding bands of armed youths terrorized the countryside, conscripting child soldiers and used the amputation of limbs as an intimidation method against civilians.
“The Secretary-General emphasizes the importance of all Sierra Leoneans working together in the period ahead,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson added in the statement.
“In that regard, the Secretary-General welcomes President Koroma’s pledge to reach out to all Sierra Leoneans and to promote national reconciliation and unity.”
The 17 November elections were the country’s third since the end of its civil war, and the second since the withdrawal of the peacekeeping operation known as the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) in December 2005. 
That mission was replaced by various other UN offices, most recently the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office (UNIPSIL), which focuses on political and development activities.
Mr. Ban also stressed the responsibility of the country’s political leaders to maintain the atmosphere of calm that prevailed during the election process, and urged all sides to address any outstanding grievances peacefully through established national mechanisms and institutions.
“The Secretary-General is confident that the strong partnership between the United Nations and Sierra Leone will continue in the best interest of the people of Sierra Leone,” the statement added.

সর্বশেষ শিরোনাম

১৬ বাংলাদেশিকে জরুরি সৌদি ত্যাগের নির্দেশ Sat, Mar 23 2024

২০ দিনে আড়াই হাজারের বেশি বাংলাদেশিকে ফেরত পাঠিয়েছে মালয়েশিয়া Thu, Mar 21 2024

সুইডিশ রাজকুমারী ঢাকায় Tue, Mar 19 2024

অজানা গন্তব্যে জলদস্যুর কবলে পড়া বাংলাদেশী জাহাজ Fri, Mar 15 2024

‘এমভি আবদুল্লাহকে’ অনুসরণ করছে ইইউয়ের যুদ্ধজাহাজ Thu, Mar 14 2024

মালয়েশিয়ায় পুলিশের সঙ্গে বন্দুকযুদ্ধে বাংলাদেশিসহ নিহত ৩ Wed, Mar 13 2024

জলদস্যুরা সোমালিয়ায় নিয়ে যাচ্ছে বাংলাদেশি জাহাজ Wed, Mar 13 2024

সোমালিয়ান জলদস্যুদের দখলে বাংলাদেশি জাহাজ, ২৩ নাবিক জিম্মি Tue, Mar 12 2024

বাংলাদেশ ও সৌদি আরব পরিবেশ রক্ষায় চুক্তি স্বাক্ষরে সম্মত Thu, Feb 29 2024

ইউক্রেন যুদ্ধের দুই বছর : রাশিয়ার ওপর নতুন করে ৫ শতাধিক নিষেধাজ্ঞা দিতে চলেছে যুক্তরাষ্ট্র Fri, Feb 23 2024