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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Former Canadian Foreign Minister to lead Commonwealth Observers for Sierra Leone elections

29 April 2002

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon today announced that the Commonwealth Observer Group to the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Sierra Leone will be led by former Canadian Foreign Minister Dr Lloyd Axworthy. The elections are scheduled for 14 May 2002.

Mr McKinnon said that the eleven-strong Observer Group was established in response to invitations from the Government and the National Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone and with the support of political parties in that country. It consists of six eminent Commonwealth citizens, supported by five Commonwealth Secretariat staff. The eminent Observers are:

· Dr Lloyd Axworthy Formerly Foreign Minister of Canada, (Chairperson). Currently
Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Global Studies at the University of British Columbia, Canada

· Dr E A Akinluyi Former Ambassador to UNESCO and former Special
Assistant to President Shonekan, Nigeria

· Mr Nigel Buttler Deputy Electoral Registration Officer, Vale of
White Horse District Council, United Kingdom

· Dr Amon Chaligha Member of the National Electoral Commission and
Professor of Political Science at the University of
Dar-es-Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania

· Ms Myrtle Palacio Chief Election Officer, Belize

· Ms Judy Thompson Election expert, Canada

The Staff Support Team will be led by Professor Ade Adefuye, Special Adviser in the Political Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat.


Note to Editors:

Two Commonwealth ‘Advance Observers’ have been present in Sierra Leone since 23 April 2002. Commonwealth Observers were present for voter registration in January 2002 and the display of the provisional voters’ list in March 2002. An Assessment Mission was in Sierra Leone from 10-15 April. The Main Group will start its work on Monday 6 May 2002. This will be the 38th Observer Group to have been constituted by the Secretary-General since October 1990 and the second time that the Commonwealth will have observed elections in Sierra Leone - a Commonwealth Observer Group was present for the 1996 elections.

This year, at the invitation of the National Electoral Commission, a number of other Commonwealth experts have been involved in the training of the domestic election observers of the National Elections Watch (NEW), which hopes to field 2,000 election observers on election day.

The Terms of Reference for this Observer Group are as follows:

“The Group is established by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at the request of the Government of Sierra Leone and the National Electoral Commission. It is to observe relevant aspects of the organisation and conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in accordance with the laws of Sierra Leone. It is to consider the various factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole and to determine in its own judgement whether the conditions exist for a free expression of will by the electors and if the results of the election reflect the wishes of the people of Sierra Leone.

The Group is to act impartially and independently. It has no executive role; its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgement accordingly. It would also be free to propose to the authorities concerned such action on institutional, procedural and other matters as would assist the holding of such elections.

The Group is to submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will forward it to the Government of Sierra Leone, the National Electoral Commission, the parties taking part in the election and thereafter to all Commonwealth governments”.


Press contact:
The Commonwealth Observer Group will be available from Saturday 4 May 2002 at the Cape Sierra Hotel (Room 206) on +232 22 272481 or +232 22 272268.
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