UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon Tuesday welcomed Cote d'Ivoire's publication of the provisional list of voters on Monday, encouraging all parties to determine a new election date at an early date.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban said he believed that with this important development, the Ivorian parties and institutions have made significant progress towards the establishment of a consensual and transparent voters list.
Ban noted that his special representative has endorsed the provisional list of voters as well as the process followed in compiling it, the
statement said.
"The secretary-general now encourages all the Ivorian parties to build further on this critical milestone in order to prepare the final voters list and move forward in determining a new election date as soon as possible," it said.
Ban also thanked the facilitator, Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, for his continuing efforts and assures the Ivorian parties that the United Nations will continue to provide the necessary financial, technical and logistical support to help them organize and conduct open, free, fair and transparent elections.
The Independent Electoral Commission of Cote d'Ivoire declared on Nov. 11 a "slight change" of the Nov. 29 election date after a series of delays since 2005, when the first post-war presidential vote failed to take place amid differences.