Secretary-General Welcomes Historic Referendum on Political Future of Bougainville

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General welcomes the successful holding of the referendum on the political future of Bougainville and congratulates the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville, as well as all voters, for their dedication and peaceful conduct of the process.

This historic referendum marks an important step forward in the ongoing implementation of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.  The Secretary-General encourages the parties to continue to commit to the provisions of the Agreement and to ensure the post-referendum consultation process is inclusive and constructive.

The United Nations has been present in Bougainville since 1998 and will continue to support the implementation of the Peace Agreement at the request of the parties.