Latest content: Promoting Democracy

The Commonwealth’s team of observers has begun its assessment of the electoral process in Zimbabwe, leading up to general elections on 30 July.

Former Head of State of Nigeria, General Abdulsalami A. Abubakar, will lead a distinguished panel of experts, to be deployed in various regions in Pakistan to observe the electoral process.

The Secretary-General will deploy a Commonwealth group to observe the forthcoming general elections in Pakistan, scheduled for 25 July.

John Dramani Mahama, former president of Ghana, will lead a Commonwealth group to observe Zimbabwe’s general elections on 30 July. Zimbabwe is not a member of the Commonwealth.  It withdrew from the organisation in 2003 after it was suspended for being in breach of the Harare Declaration, which sets out the Commonwealth’s core principles and values.

Our thoughts are with the people of Zimbabwe. We are deeply saddened to hear of the loss of life and injuries caused by the attack, and wish all who have been hurt or affected in any way a speedy recovery.

Zimbabwe has applied to re-join the Commonwealth. The proposal came in a letter dated 9 May to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland from Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, has congratulated Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad following successful elections in Malaysia on 9 May.

Campaigners from Africa have called for more action to end ‘harmful practices’, such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and child, early and forced marriage (CEFM), which they say remain ‘shamefully widespread’.

New guidelines for Commonwealth election observation have been agreed and released at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) today - the first such update in 27 years.

As counting gets under way in earnest following Sierra Leone's presidential run-off on Saturday, Commonwealth observers have said the election was 'credible and transparent'.

Sierra Leoneans are today electing a new president in a run-off between Dr Samura Kamara of the All Peoples Congress (APC) and Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

Following yesterday’s general election in Antigua and Barbuda, the chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group has said she is satisfied a democratic poll has been delivered.

The Commonwealth Observer Group arrived in the country on March 16 and have met with the Prime Minister, the electoral commission, representatives of political parties, civil society representatives, media organisations and domestic and international observer groups.

A former Foreign Minister from The Bahamas, Janet Bostwick, will lead a team of Commonwealth observers to Antigua and Barbuda for the country’s general election next week.

As the ballot count continues to determine the result of Sierra Leonne’s general election, the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) today held a press conference in the capital Freetown and released an interim statement.

Voting is now under way in Sierra Leone as the West African nation elects presidential, parliamentary and local government leaders to serve for the next five years.

With just a few days to go before Sierra Leone holds general elections, Commonwealth observers have visited cities and towns across the West Africa country.

Members of the Commonwealth Election Observation Review Group are meeting at the Commonwealth’s headquarters in London this week to review observation guidelines that were first drafted 27 years ago.

Commonwealth observers will arrive in Sierra Leone next week in advance of the forthcoming general election on March 7.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, continues to monitor developments in Kenya following general elections held on 8 August 2017 to elect a President and Members of Parliament. These elections were observed by the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth peace envoy Ibrahim Gambari has praised Zambian president Edgar Lungu and the leader of the main opposition political party Hakainde Hichilema for their “unwavering commitment” to political dialogue in the country.

The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Zambia, Ibrahim Gambari, concluded his four day visit to the country with a news conference calling for continued mutual respect to help build confidence and trust.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Zambia, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, will travel to Zambia for a four-day visit from 23-27 November.

Tonga’s national parliamentary elections were fair and peaceful, according to Commonwealth election observers.

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland will deploy a Commonwealth Observer Group to observe general elections in Tonga, scheduled for 16 November 2017. This follows a formal invitation from the Government of Tonga.