UNAMA acknowledges resignation of chief electoral officer

23 Jun 2014

UNAMA acknowledges resignation of chief electoral officer

KABUL - The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) acknowledges today’s resignation of the country’s chief electoral officer, the Head of the Secretariat of the Independent Election Commission (IEC), Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhil.

UNAMA recognizes the resignation as a step that helps protect Afghanistan’s historic political transition and contributes to an orderly and timely electoral process under the country’s legal and institutional framework and through its mandated electoral institutions and their procedures.

The Mission also recognizes with appreciation that the IEC Secretariat head’s decision puts national interests ahead of personal interests and sought to remove any cause of distrust in the electoral process.

UNAMA notes that Mr. Amarkhil’s long professional experience helped ensure that, during his tenure as the head of the IEC Secretariat, preparations for Afghanistan’s historic presidential election were better managed and more advanced than those previously. The improved technical quality of the preparations for these polls has been recognized by domestic and international observer groups.

Following the resignation, the Mission calls on the Presidential candidates to fully re-enter the electoral process, cooperate with the electoral institutions and respect their decisions.

UNAMA will continue to support the Afghan-owned and -led electoral process, part of the democratic process chosen by the Afghan people as the means to establish a new and legitimate Government that will reflect the will of the majority of participating Afghan voters.