The Group will be in Maldives from 31 August – 14 September 2013
Dr Lawrence Gonzi, former Prime Minister of Malta, will lead a Commonwealth Observer Group to Maldives’ presidential elections scheduled for 7 September 2013.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma constituted the Group at the invitation of the Maldives Elections Commission.
The Commonwealth Observer Group’s mandate is to observe and consider all aspects of the electoral process with a view to assessing compliance with the standards for democratic elections to which Maldives has committed itself. Where appropriate, the Group may also make recommendations for the future strengthening of the electoral framework.
Commonwealth Observer Groups act impartially and independently and conduct themselves according to the standards expressed in the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation, to which the Commonwealth is a signatory.
The Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2013 Maldives elections will submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will in turn send it to the Government of Maldives, the Elections Commission, Maldivian political parties and eventually to all Commonwealth governments.
The 17-member Commonwealth Observer Group will arrive in Malé on 31 August and will remain there until 14 September 2013. A Commonwealth Secretariat team will support the Group, led by Ms Nishana Jayawickrama, Head of the Asia/Europe Section of the Political Affairs Division.
Composition of the Group:
Chair:
Dr Lawrence Gonzi
Former Prime Minister
Malta
Mr Hugh Craft
Former Diplomat
Australia
Mr Bruce Hatch
Elections Expert
Canada
Ms Elizabeth Ohene
Former Minister and Media Expert
Ghana
Mr Navin Chawla
Former Chief Election Commissioner
India
Prof Lisa Ann Vasciannie
Governance Expert
Jamaica
Mr Yusmadi Yusoff
Former Member of Parliament
Malaysia
Adv. Notemba Tjipueja
Chair, Elections Commission
Namibia
Ms Maryan Street
Member of Parliament
New Zealand
Prof Attahiru Jega
Chair, National Electoral Commission
Nigeria
Ms Zobaida Jalal
Former Minister
Pakistan
Dr Alphonse Gelu
Registrar of Political Parties
Papua New Guinea
Mr Hendrick Gappy
Chair, Electoral Commission
Seychelles
Ms Lindiwe Faith Mokate
Commissioner, Human Rights Commission
South Africa
Mr Andi Schubert
Youth Representative
Sri Lanka
Prof Sylvia Tamale
Gender Expert
Uganda
Mr John Turner
Elections Expert
United Kingdom
