Carter Center Announces Delegation to Observe Liberia's Presidential Run-Off Election

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS: Atlanta, Deborah Hakes +1 404 420 5124; Monrovia, Alexander Bick +231 880 424 280

The Carter Center announced today that it will deploy a delegation of international observers to monitor Liberia's presidential run-off election scheduled for Nov. 8, 2011. The delegation again will be led by His Excellency General Dr. Yakubu Gowon, former head of state of Nigeria, and will include more than 50 observers from 20 countries across Africa and around the world.

Observers will receive three days of briefings in Monrovia before deploying to all 19 magisterial areas in Liberia's 15 counties to monitor voting, counting, and tallying. As it did in the first round of the 2011 elections, The Carter Center will partner with the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA).

"These are historic elections for Liberia. Following a transparent and peaceful first round, Liberians now have the opportunity to cast their ballots in the second round to select Liberia's next president," said Alexander Bick, the Carter Center's election observation mission director.

Carter Center long-term observers have been monitoring the electoral process throughout Liberia since early September and will remain in the country until the end of November. For the Oct. 11 first round of voting, The Carter Center deployed 55 international observers. The Center's findings on the campaign period, voting and counting, and the tally process are contained in public statements available at www.cartercenter.org.

The Carter Center's election observation mission is conducted in accordance with the Guidelines and Code of Conduct for Observers issued by the National Elections Commission, as well as the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct that was adopted at the United Nations in 2005 and has been endorsed by 37 election observation groups. The Center assesses the electoral process based on the Liberia's national legal framework and its obligations for democratic elections contained in regional and international agreements.

The Carter Center previously observed elections in Liberia in 1997 and 2005. The Center also currently works in Liberia on programs related to access to justice, access to information, and mental health. More information can be found at www.cartercenter.org/liberia.

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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.