United Nations Radio

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is deeply concerned about the ongoing political and constitutional crisis in Niger following the decision by the country's leader to dissolve Parliament.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Secretary-General warns that the crisis threatens to destabilize the country and undermine the progress made in recent years to consolidate democratic governance and the rule of law.

He says he regrets the most recent decisions taken by the Niger Government, which have made it extremely difficult for the country's democratic institutions and the Constitutional Court, to play their roles as guarantors of the rule of law.

The Secretary-General calls for restraint and political dialogue to resolve the crisis.

The Secretary-General offers his good offices to work with regional partners, in particular the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to find a solution to this political crisis.

Bissera Kostova, United Nations.

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