KABUL - A top United Nations official today reiterated the world body’s ‘absolute impartiality’ in Afghanistan’s Presidential and Provincial Council elections slated to be held next week.

“The elections are Afghan-led and Afghan-owned; the United Nations does not favour any candidate over another,” said the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, during a brief media encounter in the capital, Kabul.

Mr. Ladsous is on a three-day visit to Afghanistan, during which he is expected to meet a range of representatives from governmental bodies and civil society, as well officials from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other UN agencies, funds and programmes. He also represented UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at an official government ceremony commemorating the Afghan new year, Nowruz, in Kabul today, along with high-ranking government representatives from Afghanistan’s neighbours, including Iran, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Azerbaijan.

UNAMA is providing technical support to the Afghan authorities, at their request, in the organization of the 5 April elections, which UN officials have described as critical to Afghanistan’s future stability and continued international support.

During today’s media encounter, Mr. Ladsous expressed the UN’s solidarity with the people of Afghanistan on the eve of elections and reiterated the commitment and long-term partnership of the world body in order to meet the current and future needs of Afghanistan and its people.

Noting that some “enemies of democracy” were trying to deny, through the use of violence, the Afghan people their freedom and their right to choose their leaders, he said that nobody should deprive Afghans of their right to vote.

“You all stand against the violence – you make the choice of the ballot box rather than the bullet, and let me tell you that so does the UN,” said Mr. Ladsous.

He expressed satisfaction over the preparations for the elections when compared to previous election cycles, as well as the measures put in place to improve the overall security environment.

“I am pleased to see that a lot has been done to allow the voters to cast their votes in safety,” the UN peacekeeping chief said.

Mr. Ladsous highlighted that the Afghan body responsible for organizing the polls, the Independent Election Commission (IEC), together with other Afghan authorities, has “vastly improved” the measures to detect fraud.

“Everything that can be done must be done with that objective because not only would the widespread fraud affect the acceptability of the final results from the polls but it would also impact upon the future aid commitments of the international community to Afghanistan,” said Mr. Ladsous.

He also emphasized that candidates themselves take steps to warn their supporters against committing fraud because “stealing votes would in fact undermine their own credibility.”

The UN official asked the candidates to commit themselves to accept the results of elections once they have been delivered and endorsed by the Afghan election authorities.

He also drew attention to the “important role” Afghan women should play in the elections – not only as voters, but also as candidates and as election workers. “As in many other areas, women have a key role to play – without them there would not be a truly representative and credible vote.”

Mr. Ladsous said he hoped that “inclusive, transparent and credible elections” will be delivered on 5 April – which he described as the desire of the UN and the entire international community.

Earlier in the day, the UN peacekeeping chief attended the Afghan Government’s official ceremony, to mark Nowruz. Held at the Presidential Palace, the event drew senior government leaders from neighbouring countries.

“Nowruz represents a new beginning. Let us take this opportunity to collectively reject violence and strengthen our resolve to continue the hard work towards peace, prosperity and human rights in Afghanistan and around the world,” said Secretary-General Ban, in a message brought by Mr. Ladsous for the occasion.

Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and renewal of nature, celebrated on 21 March each year for over 3,000 years. The United Nations General Assembly, in 2010, proclaimed an official UN observance because it promotes peace and solidarity. The day also focuses on reconciliation and neighbourliness, contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among people and different communities.

In his message, the Secretary-General also said that this year’s celebrations came on the eve of a critical moment in Afghanistan’s transition: the elections.

“These elections are a critical benchmark in Afghanistan’s transition, and can be an achievement all Afghans can be proud of,” Mr. Ban said. “Like Nowruz, successful elections can reinforce a sense of community and national unity.”

While in Afghanistan, Mr. Ladsous has been holding range of meetings with representatives from civil society groups and government bodies – including the head of the IEC, Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani – as well as staff from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and UN agencies, funds and programmes.

[Click here for the full text of the Secretary-General's message on the International Day of Nowruz]