Arab league, IGAD to monitor Sudan elections
April 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Arab League (AL) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in Eastern Africa (IGAD) have announced participation in monitoring Sudan’s general election scheduled for 13 April.
Salah Halima, Arab League envoy to Sudan said in a press conference in Khartoum on Monday that their decision to monitor the elections was based on theoretical and practical assessment of the current situation in the country.
He noted that the new electoral law was issued after it had gained support and blessings of all political forces, adding that the AL delegation met with several bodies including the Sudanese presidency, political parties participating in the elections and those boycotting it, civil society organizations and presidential candidates.
The AL diplomat disclosed that their observation team, composed of 33 monitors, will arrive in Khartoum on Tuesday, pointing that the AL has monitored 59 electoral processes in several Arab and African countries.
Meanwhile, the IGAD envoy to Khartoum, Mahmoud Abdallah said their team includes 30 monitors who will observe elections in 8 polling centers including Khartoum, Omdurman, Khartoum North, Madani, Kosti, Shendi, Gedaref, El-Obied and Dongola.
He underscored that among IGAD’s objectives is to help member states to hold fair and free elections besides offering the organization’s expertise in this regard.
Youssef Abu Rahel, member of Sudan’s National Elections Commission (NEC), for his part, said that agents of political parties and independent nominees also have the right to monitor the electoral process, mentioning that ballot boxes will remain in the centers during the polling days.
He stressed that agents has the right to exercise all powers including monitoring the opening and closing of the ballot boxes besides the counting of votes, emphasizing that elections will be fair and transparent.
Last January, the NEC said that it accepted requests submitted by several foreign bodies to monitor the elections including from the World Lake Conference (WLC), Election Network in the Arab Region (ENAR), Union of African Political Parties, as well as other institutions from Brazil, Russia and Nigeria.
The African Union had earlier decided to deploy an election observation mission to Sudan led by the former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obsanjo.
Sudan’s general elections will kick off next Monday amid boycott by major opposition parties.
(ST)