UK envoy to Ethiopia urges free, fair elections

By Ethiopian newspaper The Reporter

ADDIS ABABA, April 24 — The ambassador of UK to Ethiopia, Bob Dewar, on Tuesday 19 April expressed his wholehearted support for the holding of free and fair elections.

At a ceremony held at the premises of the British embassy to commemorate the queen’s birthday, Ambassador Dewar said that the elections ought to be conducted “under high international standards as set out in New Partnership for the Africa’s Development (NEPAD)”.

Dewar stated that the elections ought to take place in a peaceful climate where there would be mutual respect, a level playing field and a rule of law where the process would be free of fear, intimidation or harassment by any side.

The ambassador added that in conformity with the report of the Commission for Africa (CFA), the election ought to take place in a climate which promoted “genuine commitment to the principle of accountability towards a country’s citizens, including the poor, not just towards the interests of the elite”.

In his remarks, Mr Dewar commended the progress that Ethiopia had made but said that more needed to be done. The ambassador indicated that Britain’s assumption of the chairmanship of the G8 as of July this year and of the EU later on would be instrumental in realizing the vision of a strong and prosperous Africa which is promoted by the CFA.

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.