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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth to Observe Presidential Election in The Gambia

8 October 2001

The Commonwealth is to send a nine-member team to The Gambia to observe the Presidential Election taking place on 18 October. Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said today that the Observer Group was being formed following an invitation from the Independent Electoral Commission of The Gambia. The Secretariat has confirmed that there is broad support from political parties and other groups for a Commonwealth Observer Group.

The Observer Group comprises six eminent Commonwealth members:

Chair Hon Mr P A Sangma MP
Former Speaker, Lok Sabha, India

Dr Brigalia Bam
Chairperson, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), South Africa

Mr David Kangah
Deputy Chairperson, Electoral Commission, Ghana

Dr Karen Brewer
Secretary-General, Commonwealth Magistrates' & Judges' Association, United Kingdom

Ms Judy Thompson
Electoral expert, Canada

Hon Mario Galea MP
Government Whip, Malta


The Group will be supported by three Commonwealth Secretariat staff, headed by Professor Ade Adefuye, Special Adviser in the Political Affairs Division.

The Chairperson of the Observer Group, Hon Mr P A Sangma, and most of his team are expected to arrive in The Gambia on 11 October. An advance group consisting of Mr David Kangah and Commonwealth Secretariat staff member Dr Jackie Dugard have already been at work in The Gambia since 3 October, 2001.
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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
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Email: info@commonwealth.int