The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended Sudan's civil war gives Southern Sudanese the opportunity to vote next January on whether they want to secede from the north and create their own country. The credibility of this historic election will depend in part on thorough and professional election observation during the pre-, post- and election day periods to help ensure that the referendum is carried out in a transparent way.
"America-based National Democratic Institute, NDI, has said for free and fair elections to be held in Nigeria come 2011, many of the shortcomings of previous elections must be addressed.
Haitians will go to the polls Nov. 28 to select a new president and parliament to lead the nation's reconstruction and recovery from the Jan. 12 earthquake that claimed 230,000 lives and left 1.5 million people displaced.
"Southern Sudanese began registering to vote in a referendum in January to decide whether their oil- producing region will break away from Sudan and become Africa's newest independent nation...
"The Burmese military's political front claimed a resounding victory today in an election widely dismissed as a sham. US President Barack Obama said the ruling junta had simply stolen the election...
"The only suspense surrounding parliamentary elections here and in other Arab countries for many years has been over how many seats the opposition would be allowed to win...
