UN political chief to focus on transition process during visits to Egypt and Tunisia

The United Nations political chief is set to visit Egypt and Tunisia for discussions on how the world body can assist with the democratic transitions under way in the two North African nations following the revolutions earlier this year.

B. Lynn Pascoe will travel to Egypt from Istanbul, Turkey, where he represented Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at today’s meeting of the International Contact Group on Libya.

While in Egypt, Mr. Pascoe will hear from Government and non-governmental groups, including youth, about the state of the democratic transition and discuss “how the UN can support further progress,” UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters.

The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs will then travel to Tunisia for discussions on the democratic transition in that country and UN assistance, including on elections, the spokesperson added.

Popular uprisings, first in Tunisia and then in Egypt, led to the ouster of long-standing regimes in both nations earlier this year and sparked similar pro-democracy movements across North Africa and the Middle East.