Press Release
24 December 2013
Statement by the South African government on the second round of presidential and legislative elections in Madagascar.
The Government of the Republic of South Africa concurs with the pronouncement by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that the second round of the Presidential elections together with simultaneous Legislative elections in the Republic of Madagascar on 20 December 2013 were free, fair and democratic.
South Africa fully subscribes to the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections in defining the successful holding of free, fair, democratic and peaceful elections as was the case in the Republic of Madagascar.
South Africa commends the people of Madagascar on the peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves during the second round of the Presidential elections and the Legislative elections on 20 December 2013. This clearly demonstrated their resolve to craft their own destiny in the quest to find a lasting solution to the many challenges the country has faced over the past four years.
South Africa, as part of SADC, participated fully in the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) and deployed a sizable number of observers in line with its obligations to the SADC. Our observers ably participated in the SEOM that was deployed to 21 of the 22 regions of the Republic of Madagascar.
South Africa congratulates the Government of Transition, the National Independent Electoral Commission for the Transition (CENIT), the stakeholders and all the people of Madagascar for the peaceful elections in line with the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections and we reiterate our call for political maturity and calm after the results are fully released.
This is a crucial period to successfully conclude the full implementation of the SADC Roadmap, restoring constitutional normalcy to Madagascar. South Africa urges the Malagasy people to accept the outcome of the election results and move ahead to rebuild that beautiful country.
For further information, please contact Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson of DIRCO, on 082 884 5974
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084
|
