Nederlandse leidt EU-waarnemingsmissie tijdens verkiezingen in Malawi (en)

maandag 5 april 2004, 1:56

The European Union is deploying an EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) for the coming Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Malawi, scheduled to take place on 18 May 2004. The deployment of an EU EOM follows an invitation from the Malawian Electoral Commission and is a practical expression of the EU's on-going support for the process of democratisation in Malawi. The upcoming elections represent a significant moment in Malawi's democratic development, where a broad and pluralistic electoral competition is expected to take place, against the backdrop of controversies over the consolidation of democratic institutions.

The EU EOM will not only make an informed assessment of the elections, but is also designed to encourage best practice and enhance transparency and confidence in the process. The presence of an EU EOM may also reduce the potential for political violence and malpractice.

The mission will be led by a Chief Observer, Ms Marieke Sanders-ten Holte, Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chairwoman of the Development and Co-operation Committee.

In total, the EU EOM plans to deploy some 70 observers. These will include a core team of experts based in Blantyre, 20 long-term and 42 short-term observers deployed across the country. The long-term observers will follow pre-electoral preparations, voting day and the post-electoral period. The short term observers will be deployed closer to election day. The core team will be comprised of the Chief Observer, a Deputy Chief Observer, an Election/Legal Expert, a Media Expert, an LTO Coordinator and Operations Expert.

The EU EOM will assess the whole election process, including the legal and administrative framework, the political environment and campaign, media conduct, electoral preparations, voting and counting as well as the post-election period. It will issue a preliminary statement on the conduct of the elections shortly after election day, and later a final report detailing the findings of the mission and offering recommendations where appropriate.

The EU EOM is funded through the European Commission's European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights to a value of 980,000 euros.

For further information please see:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/eu_election_ass_observ/index.htm

http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/eidhr/elections_en.htm