The senior United Nations envoy to Haiti has congratulated the country's people on the successful conclusion of a number of local, municipal and legislative elections which culminated a three-round process as part of broader efforts to consolidate democracy in the Caribbean country.
"After all the reports I have received and what I have witnessed myself today in the field, I wish to congratulate everybody on the excellent collaboration between MINUSTAH and the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP)," Edmond Mulet, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative and head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), said on Sunday.
"I also want to point out the very successful cooperation of the MINUSTAH Security Forces and the Haitian National Police and I want to thank them for their professional performance."
More than 300,000 voters in 25 communities exercised their democratic right in 69 voting centres and 770 polling stations to choose their representatives. With logistical and security support provided by MINUSTAH to the CEP and the Haitian National Police, all polling stations opened on time, allowing voters access to the polling booths, the mission said in a news release.
Ambassador Mulet visited voting centres in Gressier and Merger, south of the capital, Port-au-Prince, to get a first-hand impression of the situation. There he heard from CEP members and members of the Haitian National Police, UN Police (UNPOL) and the military that the polls were conducted peacefully.
"We commend the Haitian people for their demonstrated wish to utilize their democratic voice," Mr. Mulet said.