African Union Observer Mission to the elections in Sudan

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA
P. O. Box 3243
Telephone : 251-11-5517700
Fax : 251-11-5517844

ARRIVAL STATEMENT OF THE AFRICAN UNION OBSERVER MISSION
TO THE 2010 ELECTIONS IN SUDAN, 11-13 APRIL 2010

At the invitation of the National Electoral Commission of Sudan to the African Union, and in pursuance to the African Union’s Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, H.E. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, decided to send a 50-member multi-disciplinary team of observers to Sudan to observe the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, scheduled for 11th-13th April, 2010.

The Mission is made up of officials drawn from National Electoral Commissions, National Parliaments, members of the Pan-African Parliament, members of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the AU, Regional Legislative Assemblies and Economic Communities, Ambassadors, prominent African individuals, and members of civil societies. The African Union Observer Mission is headed by H. E. John Agyekum Kufuor, former President of the Republic of Ghana. His wealth of experience in election observation, together with the wide experience of the members of this Mission, underscores the richness in diversity and competence that is required for the task ahead.

The Observer Mission was preceded by pre-election assessment missions of the African Union and an advance team of monitors who were also deployed to Sudan on March 18, 2010.

The African Union Observer Mission to Sudan is faced with the challenge of observing the Sudanese elections in accordance with the African Union’s Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa. The Mission is expected to determine if the elections were conducted in accordance with the constitutional and legal framework of the country by following the rules and procedures pursuant to the electoral laws of the country, as well as to determine the credibility of the whole electoral process. The African Union Mission to Sudan is a neutral, non-partisan, and non-aligned body that will make an honest, independent, impartial and objective assessment of the organization and the conduct of the elections.

The Mission expects to meet with various stakeholders in elections and these include: Political Parties, Civil Society Actors, the media, the National Electoral Commission of Sudan, as well as domestic and international observer missions deployed in Sudan to observe the elections. This will be part of an information gathering exercise on the elections. It is also important to know that democratic elections are the basis of any representative government, and the conduct of such elections at stipulated intervals, constitute one of the key elements to the democratization process that is essential for good governance, rule of law, and the maintenance and promotion of peace, security, stability and sustainable development.

The African Union Mission commends relevant institutions and the people of Sudan for this historic undertaking and wishes that the ongoing electoral process unfolds peacefully until its completion.

The Mission is supported by a team from the African Union. For further information please contact the AU Mission Secretariat based at the Grand Holiday Villa Hotel in Khartoum. Mobile number: +249 902 273 289; Telephone Number: +249 183 774039 and Fax: +249 183 773 961.