Ban congratulates Afghanistan on Presidential election

NEW YORK, Sept 22 (KUNA) -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed conclusion of the presidential election in Afghanistan where Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai was elected as the new leader of the country.
The agreement between the candidates to form a government of national unity and the Independent Election Commission's announcement of the president-elect paved the way for a stable and more prosperous future for the country, Ban said in a statement late on Sunday.
Ban urged the President-elect, the Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah as well as all political actors in Afghanistan to quickly form the government of national unity, where it will face serious challenges.
The audit has demonstrated that millions of Afghan men and women cast valid votes in the June 14 run-off, therefore he emphasized that international support for the audit was provided to enhance the credibility of the electoral process at the request of the candidates.
The audit was unprecedented in its scale, he said, "depth and scrutiny," as well as conforming to international best practice and Afghan law, he added.
Ban then reiterated the support for Afghanistan, expressed by the international community during the Security Council debate on September 18.
The United Nations remains committed to working closely with the new government of Afghanistan, he said.
"I congratulate the two parties and their leaders, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, as well as the Afghan people and reiterate the support of the United Nations," he concluded.(end) mao.rk