The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, concluded yesterday a four-day visit in Togo.

The objective of the visit was to take part in the “workshop to mobilize stakeholders to help ensure the holding of peaceful and violence-free presidential election” which was organized jointly with ECOWAS from January 23 to 28, and to discuss, as part of  the good offices activities of UNOWAS, with key national stakeholders, and technical and financial partners, on the preparation for the presidential election, scheduled for next February 22.

During his visit, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations met with the President of the National Assembly, the presidents of the Constitutional Court (CC), and of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), the members of the High Audiovisual Authority and Communication (HAAC), representatives of civil society organizations and development partners. He also met with the presidential candidates and called on them to conduct their election campaigns based on their respective programs, and to urge their activists and supporters to avoid inflammatory remarks.

Noting the importance of the efforts made to organize a free and non-violent election, the Special Representative urged all Togolese actors to continue their mobilization so that these elections contribute to the consolidation of democracy in Togo.

The discussions helped Mr. Ibn Chambas appreciate the quality of  the preparation and the efforts made by the CENI and the different stakeholders to allow the holding of a successful election. In this regard, the Special Representative stressed that the presidential election of February 22 constitutes a major opportunity for the Togolese people to achieve their aspiration for peace, democracy and prosperity.

As Togo will be opening the series of six major elections of 2020 in West Africa and the Sahel, the Special Representative called on the Togolese people to lay the groundwork for an exemplary election that will serve as a model for the other countries in the sub-region .

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel reiterated the readiness of the United Nations and the international community to accompany Togo in its efforts towards consolidating peace and development.