Commonwealth Observer Group Kick-Starts Mission in Sierra Leone
The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) November 14th, held a press briefing at the office of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Campbell Street Freetown, intimating that it has officially kick-started it operation of monitoring the electioneering process slatted for November 17th.
Making a statement to a battery of press, the chairman of COG, Olara Otunnu noted that their mission’s tandem call in the country draws from the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to ensure that this nation witnesses free, credible and fair elections. He said before the mission begins it functions, they had worked in consonant with all the political parties, NEC and Civil Society to ensure the atmosphere warranting their presence.
Olara shed-light that the mission has being monitoring electioneering processes back from the raw-days of war and post-war Sierra Leone in 1996, unto the following electioneering calendars of 2002, 2004, and 2007. He also cited the (1999) task force establishment set-up by the Secretariat of COG all in a bid to bolster assistance to post-war environment, and the Lome Peace Accord which he says they stand in as moral guarantor.
He continued that as part of the mission, their current duty to the state is the support given to certain institutions namely the police, judiciary, diplomatic corp, youths, improving debt management and recording, establishing of Stock Exchange, Maritime boundary delimitation, trade capacity building, and custom modernization, which he says the mission is aimed at strengthening these institutions.
Mr. Otunnu maintained that they will carry out their duty in accordance with standards and code of conduct as expressed in the declaration of principles of International Election Observers, saying with the phraseology of impartiality, professionalism and respect for the exercise. He further noted that they will start deploying personnel across the country starting from November 15.
The Chairman finally stated that the mission will give an interim statement based on the reports gathered through their various observers, which will be handed to the Commonwealth Secretary General for final delivery to the various stakeholders involved, in and out of the country.
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