Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the announcement of elections in Sudan

The European Union, together with the United Nations and other international partners, stands ready to support the preparations and the conduct of elections in Sudan, as appropriate, including by providing election observers, in accordance with requests from the National Electoral Commission.

Source: European Union (EU)
Date: 15 Apr 2009 via ReliefWeb
8712/09 (Presse 88) P 41/09

The European Union welcomes the announcement by the National Electoral Commission of Sudan that nationwide elections are to be held in February 2010.

Holding of free and fair elections is an important element in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and holds the perspective of a peaceful national, political and democratic transformation of Sudan, as set out in the Interim National Constitution.

A conducive electoral environment should be created to ensure the participation of all Sudanese citizens, including necessary amendments of legislation regarding media and security, as well as appropriate voter information and education.

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.

All efforts must be made to create conditions which allow all citizens of Darfur to exercise their rights to participate in elections in a secure environment.

The European Union, together with the United Nations and other international partners, stands ready to support the preparations and the conduct of elections in Sudan, as appropriate, including by providing election observers, in accordance with requests from the National Electoral Commission.

The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and (orway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Armenia and Georgia align themselves with this declaration.

* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.