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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth Expert Team for Maldives Referendum

13 August 2007

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon has welcomed an invitation from the Maldives Commissioner of Elections for the Commonwealth to be present at the referendum on 18 August 2007.

‘The referendum provides an important opportunity for Maldivians to contribute to the democratic reform process,” said Mr McKinnon. “By choosing the form of government, citizens can help to shape the future of their country.”

A Commonwealth Expert Team arrived in Maldives today as part of the Commonwealth’s ongoing engagement with the government. The team’s objective is to assess the political environment for the conduct of the referendum, as well as the process itself.

The team comprises two electoral experts: Mr Hendrick Gappy, Commissioner of Elections, Seychelles; and Mr John Turner, an independent consultant on electoral and related legislation. They are supported by two Commonwealth Secretariat staff.

The team will meet with a range of persons, including the Commissioner of Elections; the Speaker of the Special Majlis; members of the Special Majlis Referendum and Drafting Committees; representatives of registered political parties; the Human Rights Commission; the media; civil society; Commonwealth High Commissioners based in Malé, and international agencies working in Maldives.

The Team will provide a report on their assessment of the referendum process to the Commonwealth Secretary-General who will discuss its recommendations with the government and political parties.

Note to Editors:

The Commonwealth Secretariat has been engaged with the Maldives to support its democratic development since 2004. In 2005, Tun Musa Hitam, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia was appointed by the Secretary-General as his Special Envoy to Maldives. The Secretariat has worked closely with other international partners to support democratic reform in Maldives through technical assistance and by fostering political dialogue.

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