UN reaffirms support for Guinea legislative polls

The United Nations has reaffirmed its support for Guinea's legislative polls, which was set on Sept. 24 after repeated delays. The coordinator of the UN systems in Guinea, Anthony Ohemeng Boamah, voiced support on Thursday for a free and fair vote in the West African country. He said the UN agencies will continue working closely with the Guinean government to establish true democracy and the rule of law, through the elections that reflect the will of the Guineans. Close to 30 UN agencies in Guinea are involved in efforts to promote good governance, accelerate economic growth and promote youth employment. The coordinator said the UN agencies are collaborating with the government to ensure that the country's social fabric is not destroyed after the elections and to ensure maintenance of peace necessary for development. "I want to say that real work begins after the elections, because after polls, the people must ensure that peace is maintained so that they can embark on building the country," Boamah said, noting that besides the electoral process, UN agencies were helping Guinea in its development programs. He urged political leaders to respect the clauses agreed upon during the recent inter-Guinea political talks that were guided by international facilitators.