Burkina Faso has awarded its highest national honor to Aminata Kassé, NDI senior resident director in the west African country. The National Order (l'Ordre National), which recognizes personal merit and eminent service to the country, was bestowed on Kassé on Dec.

Election observation efforts by Guatemalan citizen groups, including NDI’s partner Citizen Action (Acción Ciudadana, AC), helped increase public confidence in the integrity of last month’s presidential runoff election and head off a repeat of problems associated with the first round of voting. 

During that initial September poll, candidates and parties raised concerns about delays in the release of results, which were also blamed for several incidents of violence, including the burning of election materials.

NDI urges Russian authorities to put a stop to the harassment now facing Golos, an independent, nonpartisan citizen election monitoring group.

In the run up to Russia's parliamentary elections on Sunday, Dec. 4, Golos activists in the regions have been facing intense pressure from authorities, including threats of lost jobs and violence, to abandon their plans to observe the elections.

As the people of South Sudan undertake the task of building a new nation, public opinion research conducted by NDI shows they are optimistic about South Sudan’s future while also concerned about the fundamental challenges it faces.