Fiji Welcomes United Nations Needs Assessment Mission

SUVA, Fiji, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At the invitation of the Republic of Fiji, a United Nations Needs Assessment Mission has arrived to perform a technical needs assessment for Fiji's upcoming Parliamentary elections.

The assessment will determine the technical needs for conducting elections, such as recommendations on the types and number of ballot boxes, rules pertaining to the counting of votes, the eradication of such flaws as those identified in the EU report on the 2006 elections, and the overall technical integrity of the process, which includes a transparent electoral commission and a credible supervisor of elections office.

The UN team is led by Ms Angela Bargellini, a Senior Electoral/Political Affairs Officer in the Department of Political Affairs of the United Nations in New York. She is accompanied by Mr Chetan Kumar, Mr Shin Umezu, and Mr Harald Thorud, who all work for the United Nations.

The UN Mission's first meeting took place on Monday with Fijian Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Acting Solicitor-General Sharvada Sharma, Acting Permanent Secretary for Justice Mereseini Vuniwaqa, and officials Vanessa Chang and Salaseini Daunabuna. Today, the Mission met with the Fijian Elections Office.

The Mission will conclude its work in Fiji on Friday, April 13 after meeting with various arms of Government, UN agencies and the diplomatic corps to discuss possible areas in which the United Nations can assist Fiji in conducting the first truly democratic elections in its history.

The voter registration process for Fiji's elections is expected to commence in May, and will be led by Canadian firm CODE, Inc.

For more information on Fiji's upcoming constitutional consultations or elections, follow Fiji on Twitter @FijiRepublic or on Facebook.

SOURCE Republic of Fiji

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