European Union welcomes Sudan‘s elections
April 9, 2009 (LONDON) –The European Union welcomed in a statement issued on Thursday the announcement by the National Electoral Commission of Sudan that nationwide elections are to be held in February 2010.
Initially and in accordance to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended Sudan’s decades-long civil war between north and south in 2005, the Presidential, and parliamentary elections on national and state levels are due to be held before July 2009, announcing the end of a transitional period which began in July 2005.
The European Union’s Czech presidency described the run of general elections as an important step in the CPA implementation and the democratic transition in the country. Further it urged the Sudanese government to create a conducive electoral environment to ensure the participation of all Sudanese citizens.
“Outstanding issues such as the declaration of the results of the National Census and the demarcation of the borders need to be concluded as soon as possible.”
The statement also emphazied that Sudanese government should create necessary conditions to allow Darfur people to take part in the upcomping elections “in a secure environment.”
On April 2, Sudan electoral board decided to delay general elections for more than seven months, decision justified by the needed preparations and some achievement of some crucial outstanding issues.
The announced delay was expected by the political parties because the results of the national census are not yet published and, some laws necessary to ensure free and democratic elections are not endorsed by the parliament. The press law is endorsed by the government but not yet voted by the parliament while the peace partners didn’t yet agree on the security law.
The two main political parties of the national government welcomed the decision of the electoral commission and pledged to cooperate in order to ensure the conduct of the elections in good conditions.
(ST)