UNSMIL said Sunday that over 70% of the 1000 participants of the digital dialogue chat with UN acting envoy Stephanie Williams agreed that the results of the Advisory Committee meeting were positive and hoped they would lead to a lasting solution, yet they also feared obstruction from what they described as the “status quo” party.
"76% of the participants were in favor of conducting national elections on 24 December 2021, and the majority called for an end to the years-long transitional period. According to 69% of those who joined the digital conversation, a “unified interim executive authority in the run-up to elections is needed.” UNSMIL said in a statement.
UNSMIL added that all participants had expressed their support for the ceasefire agreement signed on 23 October 2020 and the majority called for mercenaries and foreign fighters to depart.
"They also called for a stronger UN role in ending foreign interference in the country, and for the continuation of the UN- facilitated dialogue, with many fearing that otherwise the war will erupt again”. It added.
UNSMIL said the increase in prices of basic goods was a main concern of the participants, as 46% of them said that the economic situation had continued to deteriorate compared to the previous year, and they praised the unification of the exchange rate but called for more efforts to improve the economic situation.
Meanwhile, Williams expressed her deepest appreciation for the candid responses and recommendations she received during the digital dialogue, pledged to take them into consideration and to use them to inform all the UN-facilitated dialogue tracks.
