Ellen Margrethe Løj, Special Representative of the Secretary General and Coordinator of United Nations Mission in Liberia, on Monday, 19 of September announced to the Liberian public through a press briefing held at the UNMIL headquarters in Monrovia that the United Nations Security Council has renewed UNMIL's mandate for an additional one year.
Noting the significance of the extension of the mandate just weeks ahead of presidential and legislative elections scheduled for October, the SRSG said, "it's very clear from all in the Security Council that the importance of these elections cannot be underestimated, and cannot be taken lightly by any actor involved in these elections." She continued in stating, "I have to appeal to all Liberians, (the) general public and political leaders alike to work towards that common goal."
SRSG Løj stressed the need for successful elections and the role of Liberian's in the driver's seat, saying that if Liberian's want to safeguard the ongoing peace they must reframe from acts of violence: "You have had eight years of unbroken peace in Liberia, now it's up to all of you to show that you are steadily on the road towards sustaining that peace and developing your country, you do not want to go back to violence, and that is a message I hope everybody will send during this campaign period and during the election as such."
