20101107
africanews

The people of the West African state of Guinea are going to the polls for a presidential run-off election. It had been hailed as the country's first democratic election since independence from France in 1958. The candidates - former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo and the opposition leader, Alpha Conde - come from Guinea's two largest ethnic groups.

Their supporters have clashed many times since the first round in June, and the run-off had been delayed twice.

Guinea has been led since January by the interim government of Gen Sekouba Konate, who took over from the leaders of a 2008 coup.

The military seized power after the death of the autocratic President, Lansana Conte, who had ruled the mineral-rich state for 24 years.

Peace deal

The two candidates contesting in Guinea's presidential runoff election signed an agreement to maintain peace ahead of Sunday's November 7 vote. The peace agreement came around two weeks after supporters of both candidates were invloved in violent clashes that left many displaced.

"We, Cellou Dalein Diallo and Alpha Conde ... reiterate our commitment to hold a peaceful election," CNN quoted Diallo as saying. "We express our strong compassion toward all the victims of recent incidents," Conde added.

The United Nations' International Group of Contact on Guinea organized the peace accord under the presence of the U.N.'s top envoy for West Africa, the special envoy of the Economic Community Of West African States, and the Chinese, American, French, British, Spanish, German and European Union ambassadors.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had earlier in the week called upon the presidential candidates to uphold their commitment to conduct a peaceful campaign and to respect the outcome of the election.

Background

Diallo had won 44 percent of the first round poll held in June while Conde won just over 18 percent in the first round.

Subsequent polls scheduled for a second round runoff suffered several postponements due to violence and technical issues before the latest November 7 date was set.

The present transition to civil rule is a task the present military regime headed by Sekoub Konate promised to accomplish when he took over from former junta leader Dadis Camara late last year.