By Godfrey Olukya 12-5-2013
The African Union (AU) has said that it is closely watching developments in Guinea and urged the citizens in that country to be peaceful and focused.
A statement issued by AU said that the chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is closely following the developments in the republic of Guinea, especially the prevailing tension on the ground and the acts of violence that occurred during authorized political demonstrations.
Dlamani-Zuma has reportedly called on the Guinean parties to exercise restraint and demonstrate a sense of responsibility, and requests them to abide by the Declaration on non-violence signed, on 23 April 2013, by the Government, the opposition political parties and those of the presidential camp.
She urged them to work resolutely together towards the preservation of peace, security and stability.
The Chairperson of the Commission underlined the urgent need for the Guinean parties to engage dialogue without delay, with a view to reaching compromise in the best interests of their country. In so doing, the objective is to create conditions conducive for the holding of free, transparent and credible legislative elections, the results of which would be accepted by all the political stakeholders and contribute to the deepening of the democratic process in Guinea.
She expressed the AU’s full support to the college of facilitators, coordinated by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in West Africa, Said Djinnit, whose presence on the ground has already made it possible to register some progress.
She said AU is ready to take further concerted action as may be required, to contribute to a speedy resolution of the outstanding issues, in order to enable conduction of the elections in the best possible political, technical and security conditions.
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