UN chief congratulates Yemen's new president

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated Yemen's new President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi Mansour after he took his oath of office in parliament.

Mr. Ban told Mr. Mansour in a telephone call that the overwhelming turnout of voters, including young people who came out in large numbers to cast their ballots on Tuesday, was a clear indication of the country's support for his leadership and for the peaceful transition.

In a summary of the telephone conversation released by his spokesperson, the Secretary-General said he was aware that Yemen was facing many difficult challenges, but he was confident the country could move forward.

He thanked Mr. Mansour for his appreciation of the work of the United Nations, led by the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal Benomar, in support of the political transition.

Mr. Ban said he was committed to strengthening the UN presence and engagement in Yemen, working closely with regional and international partners to increase support.

Warring factions in Yemen signed an agreement in November on a transitional settlement under which former president Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed to hand over power to Mr. Mansour, the then vice president, who was the sole candidate in Tuesday's presidential election.