AU calls for restraint, dialogue in Guinea

The African Union (AU) has called for restraint and dialogue in the Republic of Guinea as tension prevails on the ground and acts of violence occurred during authorized political demonstrations. In a AU statement issued over the weekend, Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, called on the Guinean parties to exercise restraint and demonstrate a sense of responsibility, and requested 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 has urged the parties to work resolutely together towards the preservation of peace, security and stability, and 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, according to the statement. "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," said the statement. The Chairperson also expressed the AU's full support to the College of Facilitators, coordinated by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in West Africa, Said Djinnit, whose presence on the ground has already made it possible to register some progress likely to defuse the tension and facilitate dialogue. She reiterated AU's commitment to continue providing the necessary support for the successful conclusion of his efforts. She expressed AU's readiness to take further concerted action as may be required, to contribute to a speedy resolution of the outstanding issues, in order to enable the organization and conduct of the elections in the best possible political, technical and security condition.