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CONTACT:

Deborah Hakes in Atlanta 1-404-420-5124 or dhakes@emory.edu 

In Kathmandu (beginning April 3) +977 98511-06841 

ATLANTA…The Carter Center announced today that its founders, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will lead the Center's international election observation delegation to Nepal. Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, former deputy prime minister of Thailand, will co-lead the delegation with the Carters. The Carter Center mission will also include more than 60 observers representing more than 20 different nations deployed throughout the country. 

The leaders are expected to arrive in Kathmandu on April 7, 2008. They plan to meet with the election commission, political party leaders, representatives of domestic and international election observation delegations, and others, and will monitor the polls on election day, the counting process, and handling of challenges. 

The Carter Center's international election observation mission has been present throughout Nepal's entire electoral process, having established its field office and deployed long-term observers in March 2007.

The Center has been concerned by the recent escalation in electoral violence and clashes and by the widespread reports of threats and intimidation, particularly by the CPN-Maoist party.  The Center notes that all parties stand to gain significant domestic and international credibility by conducting a successful election on April 10 and encourages all parties to intensify peaceful campaigning efforts.

 "I am encouraged to see that the top leadership of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and CPN-Maoist have publicly renewed their commitment to a peaceful electoral process," said David Pottie, associate director of the Carter Center's Democracy Program.  "Now is the time to transform these words into action." 

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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in more than 70 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; improving mental health care; and teaching farmers in developing nations to increase crop production. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.

The Carter Center conducts election observation activities in a nonpartisan, professional manner in accordance with applicable Nepali law and international standards for election observation as set forth in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. The Center coordinates closely with other international and domestic observer delegations and publishes its statements on its Web site: www.cartercenter.org. The goal of the Center's mission in Nepal is to demonstrate international support for and provide an independent assessment of the constituent assembly election process in order to help to consolidate sustainable peace and multi-party democracy in Nepal.

Carter Center Photo: John Clayton
(Click to enlarge)

View Slideshow: Long-Term Election Observers Go the Distance in Nepal >>

Read more about the Carter Center's work in Nepal >>

18 March 2008: Carter Center Urges an End to Election-Related Violence in Nepal >>

17 February 2008: Carter Center Calls on Nepal's Government and All Parties to Focus on April 10 Elections>>

November 2007: Address by Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to Nepal's Parliament >>

6 October 2007: Carter Center Statement on the Nepal Election Delay >>

3 October 2007: Nepal's Peace Process at Critical Juncture; Carter Center Appeals to all Nepali Political Actors to Work Together for Elections >>

10 August 2007: Carter Center Urges Nepal to Continue Progress for Nov. 22 Elections >>

16 June 2007: Statement by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in Nepal >>

12 June 2007:  Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to Visit Nepal >>

8 June 2007: The Carter Center International Election Observation Mission in Nepal: Second Pre-Election Statement >>

16 April 2007:  Pre-Election Statement: Carter Center Election Observation Mission in Nepal >>

9 March 2007:  The Carter Center Deploys Election Observers in Nepal