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Burundi

EU Election Observation Mission to observe elections in Burundi

Summary: 14 May 2010, Brussels - On the invitation of the government of Republic of Burundi, the European Union has decided to deploy an Election Observation Mission to observe the electoral cycle in the country, starting on May 212010. The Election Observation Mission of the European Union (EOM EU) will be led by a Chief Observer, Renate Weber, Member of the European Parliament, and will be made up of 82 observers."The upcoming election cycle will be of particular importance for Burundi since it represents an opportunity to confirm institutional stability and democratic progress in the country. In recognition of this, and complementing our other cooperation programmes with Burundi, I have decided to deploy an EU EOM to follow the elections. I am grateful that Mrs Renate Weber, who has experience with other international observation missions, has accepted my invitation to lead this mission," declared Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice-president of the European Commission.

The Mission will be in Burundi for the local elections (May 21), the presidential elections (June 28), the legislative elections (July 23), the senatorial elections (July 28) and the administrative elections (elections for the heads of the country's smallest administrative units, known as collines, on September 7). THE EOM EU will follow the election campaign and the preparations of the elections for all 17 provinces of the country, as well as the various polls and post-election periods.

This Observation Mission will complete other European Union actions aiming at support for democracy and human rights in Burundi.

For more information on the EU's policies on human rights and support for democracy as well as on the support and observation of the elections:

http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/human_rights/index_en.htm

htto://www.eueom.eu

For more information on EOM EU in Burundi:

http://www.moeue-burundi.eu