IP/06/1101
Brussels, 14th August 2006
European Union deploys Election Observation Mission to Yemen Following an invitation by the Supreme Elections Committee of the Republic of Yemen, the European Commission is deploying an EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the country’s presidential and local elections scheduled to take place on 20 September 2006. The EU EOM will be led by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, Vice-Chairwoman of the European Parliament. Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said: “These elections are an important and challenging step for Yemeni democracy and Yemeni society. They provide an excellent opportunity for the government to demonstrate its determination to provide for more democracy and for the people to benefit from it. And she added: “I am happy that EU observers will be accompanying the Yemenis in this process. Progress in democracy through fair and democratic elections in Yemen will no doubt strengthen the mutual relationship in the interest of both parties.”
The EOM Core Team of 11 election experts arrived in Sana’a on 12 August. Forty long-term observers will follow on 17 August, who will be deployed in the provinces. They will follow the electoral process, including the campaign period and the pre-election preparations, through to election day and the conclusion of the post-election process. A further forty short-term observers will arrive shortly before election day to observe voting, counting and the tabulation of results. The Commission budget for this EOM is €3.2 million.
EU EOMs, funded under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), are an important instrument for supporting the democratic process in a country. They are deployed in line with the EU’s commitment to promote democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law. EU election observation missions are independent and follow an established and proven methodology, and for this reason their findings are widely seen as credible and trustworthy. EU missions issue a preliminary statement shortly after election day and a detailed final report a few weeks after the entire election process has been concluded, which will include recommendations relating to the election process.
Background on EU-Yemen relations
The EU started to strengthen its relationship with Yemen in 2004 through the opening of its diplomatic mission in Sana’a and the establishment of a Political Dialogue. The third round of this dialogue will take place in November 2006 in Sana’a, under the Finnish Presidency. Relations between the EU and Yemen are based on the Agreement on commercial, development, and economic co-operation (July 1998). The total development assistance to Yemen, since the Commission started cooperation with the country in the early 1980s, amounts to EUR 200 million in the form of grants.
EU assistance over the coming years (2007-2010) will focus on the management of population growth, private sector development, human rights and good governance issues.
The President of the Republic of Yemen is elected by direct franchise for a seven-year term and is granted extensive executive powers by the Constitution. There are intense domestic discussions on issues such as democracy, good governance, human rights and gender issues. Yemeni ministers have stressed that the elections must be fair and democratic.
For additional information, see also:
http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/projects/eidhr/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/human_rights/eu_election_ass_observ/
www.eueom-ye.org
