ATLANTA — The Carter Center is deploying an international electoral expert mission to Bogota today to assess important aspects of the presidential election in Colombia.
The expert mission, which includes three electoral experts and other staff, began its work remotely on May 5, following a preliminary assessment mission in March. The mission will focus on the transparency of the electoral process in the context of the implementation of the 2016 Peace Accords. While the expert mission will visit a limited number of polling stations on May 29, it will not assess the conduct of voting or make a comprehensive assessment of the election process as a whole.
Carter Center experts will meet with key electoral stakeholders, including the National Civil Registry (RNEC), the National Electoral Council (CNE), political parties and candidates, civil society organizations, media outlets, national and international observers.
The expert mission will be led by Jennie Lincoln, the Carter Center’s senior advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean. The team has been accredited by the electoral authorities and will remain in Colombia throughout the electoral process, including a second round on June 19, if required.
After the conclusion of the electoral process, The Carter Center will publish a final report with key findings and recommendations for reform. Its analysis will be based on international human rights obligations and standards for democratic elections. The Center’s election missions are conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which was endorsed at a ceremony at the United Nations in 2005.
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Contact:
In Atlanta, Soyia Ellison, associate director of communications, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org
In Bogota, Jennie Lincoln, mission director, jennie.lincoln@cartercenter.org
Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.
A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
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