MALTESE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP FOR ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS

MALTESE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP FOR ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS

The Hon Mario Galea, MP, has been personally asked by the Commonwealth Secretary General, Mr Don McKinnon, to serve as a member of the Commonwealth Observer Group constituted for the Parliamentary Elections in Zimbabwe, scheduled for 24 and 25 June 2000.

Commonwealth leaders participating in the Heads of Government Meeting in Harare in 1991 agreed that an important Commonwealth contribution to the strengthening of democracy would be the provision of Commonwealth assistance to help member countries in reinfocing their electoral and other constitutional processes, including observer missions at the request of member governments. At their meeting in New Zealand in 1995, Heads of Government adopted the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme on the Harare Declaration, which also underscored the importance of Commonwealth observation of elections as a means of supporting democratic processes and institutions.

The Observer Group to Zimbabwe, which is to be viewed in this context, will be led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Head of State of Nigeria, and shall consist of about 30 to 40 members from Commonwealth countries including senior parliamentarians, election officials, representatives of civil society and a Commonwealth staff team led by Mr Jon Sheppard, Director of the Political Affairs Division in the Commonwealth Secretariat.

These are the terms of reference of the Observer Group:-

to observe relevant aspects of the organisation and conduct of the Parliamentary Elections in accordance with the laws of Zimbabwe;

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 elections reflect the wishes of the people;

to act impartially and independently; having no executive role, its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgement accordingly;

to propose to the authorities concerned such action on institutional, procedural and other matters as would assist the holding of such elections;

to submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will forward it to the Government of Zimbabwe, to the leadership of the political parties taking part in the elections and thereafter to all Commonwealth governments.

Mr Galea left Malta on Wednesday 7th June to Johannesburg, where he will attend a briefing by the Commonwealth Secretariat regard this assignment in Zimbabwe.

The Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Mr McKinnon, will then assign members of the group to particular areas in Zimbabwe. The Commonwealth Observer Group will also attend political activities related to the election campaign.