Secretary-General appoints Special Envoy to help ensure peaceful elections in Gambia

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed former Nigerian Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar as his Special Envoy for the Gambia to help ensure peaceful presidential elections there later this week.

Gen. Abubakar will be travelling immediately to Banjul, capital of the tiny West African country, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced at UN Headquarters in New York.

“He will work within the framework of the Secretary-General’s good offices, to promote dialogue between all concerned parties aimed at ensuring a smooth and peaceful electoral process,” he added.