The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a statement on Sunday has urged the government and electoral bodies to safeguard and complete the election process.

This presidential election was the first completely run by Afghan authorities since 2001 and is an important milestone in Afghanistan’s transition to self-reliance, the statement said.

“Afghan citizens braved security threats to cast their votes for a better future. Those voters deserve to be commended for carrying out their civic duty,” it said.

“Now, all Afghan authorities and actors – including the Independent Election Commission (IEC), the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), political parties, the government, candidates and their supporters – must demonstrate their commitment to safeguard and complete the election, and to protect the integrity of the process, especially with regard to tabulating and announcing the results,” it added.

UNAMA urges all stakeholders to have an accurate understanding of the tallying process before making comments about the election. The UN also urges the IEC and ECC to ensure all stakeholders understand the tally process.

The UN has taken note that the Afghan electoral authorities have put in place numerous anti-fraud measures to ensure transparency, and encourages observer organisations, political parties, candidates and voters to play an active, informed and constructive role to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process as votes are tallied.