United Nations Radio

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the Nepalese people on today's constituent assembly elections.

Meanwhile, the head of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) hailed the vote as a historic achievement for the country.

UNMIN chief Ian Martin said there was "tremendous enthusiasm" on the part of voters.

"This election is firstly part of a peace process, to consolidate the peace process, and secondly to elect a constituent assembly which was promised to be more inclusive of Nepal's previously marginalized groups than before. And although it won't be fully proportional and satisfactory in that respect, the constituent assembly is certainly going to be very different in its composition from any past legislative body in Nepal."

The constituent assembly will be tasked with drafting a new constitution for Nepal which has emerged from a decade of civil war following the signing of a peace accord between government and Maoists in 2006.

For United Nations Radio, I'm Dianne Penn.

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