Carter Centre launches Ghana election observation mission

Accra, July 25, GNA - The Carter Centre launched an international election observation mission in Ghana this week with the deployment of four teams of observers to four regions in the country. Observers would focus on the recently announced limited voter registration exercise and the pre-election political environment as part of the Centre's on-going international election observation programme, a statement from the Centre said on Friday.

It said the Ghana observation mission would be coordinated by the Carter Centre's Country Cirector, Dr. Keith Jennings, who had been in Ghana since May.

The Centre's international observers are drawn from eight countries: Argentina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Nigeria, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zimbabwe. Collectively, the Centre's observers have previously participated in international observation missions to more than 25 other countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The statement said in September, The Carter Centre was planning to deploy a delegation of long-term mission observers during Ghana's campaign period.

It said they would remain in the country for several months and be joined by a 50-person short-term delegation closer to the Dec. 7, 2008, elections.

"The Carter Centre looks forward to showing international interest in and support for Ghana's electoral process and the holding of transparent and credible elections that meet international standards and can be accepted by all political contestants at this critical time for democratic elections in Africa," said Dr. Keith Jennings.

"We believe that our presence and our reporting on the country's electoral process to the world will help to further consolidate the democratic process in Ghana."

Dr. Jennings welcomed the adoption of the Political Parties' Code of Conduct 2008 by all major political parties on July 24. "This is an important step in encouraging political parties to engage in a clean campaign," said Dr. Jennings.

"The Carter Centre conducts its activities in a non-partisan, professional manner in accordance with applicable national laws and international standards for election observation set forth in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation that was adopted at the United Nations in 2005."

The Centre said it would remain in close communication with the Electoral Commission, Ghana's major political parties, key civil society organizations, and other international and domestic observer delegations.