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ADDIS ABABA. — The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has congratulated the governments and peoples of Sao Tome and Principe and Mozambique for successfully holding peaceful elections on October 12 and 15 2014, respectively. The chairperson noted that the regular conduct of elections in African Union member-states is a clear demonstration of their commitment to upholding the principles enshrined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
She called on political stakeholders in Sao Tome and Principe and Mozambique to continue to maintain a climate of peace and thus contribute to the nurturing, deepening and consolidation of democratic and participatory governance.
Dr Dlamini Zuma further noted that increasingly, elections in Africa are becoming more peaceful, orderly and less conflict-ridden: “This is yet another indicator of the maturation of the democratisation process on the continent as exemplified in efforts being made by most Members States in undertaking electoral reforms to improve the transparency and credibility of electoral processes in Africa,” she said.
In light of the on-going preparations for elections in Botswana, Comoros, Namibia and Tunisia before the end of the year, the AU chairperson urged stakeholders in the respective countries to ensure that a level playing field exists for all political contenders, and called on all concerned to ensure that the elections will be free and credible in order to sustain the conduct of peaceful elections on the continent.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma urged countries and development partners to make good their pledges and commitments to support the electoral process in Comoros in order to ensure that the election is held as scheduled. — AU Commission/HR.
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