Waging Peace: The Republic of Sudan and The Republic of South Sudan

Monitoring Elections

After more than 20 years of violent civil strife that displaced millions of Sudanese and resulted in the death of nearly 2 million people, Sudan is in need of lasting peace and stability.  The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in Naivasha, Kenya, brought hope for a transition from a state of conflict to development, democracy, and peace.

Through its provisions calling for democratic elections throughout Sudan, the CPA held the key to a more transparent, representative political structure for all Sudanese.  During former U.S. President Jimmy Carter's trip to Sudan with the Elders in October 2007, both President Omar al-Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir asked The Carter Center to observe the electoral process in Sudan. The Carter Center observed national elections in 2010 and the referendum on the self-determination of Southern Sudan.

2010 National Elections
The Carter Center launched its election observation mission to observe Sudan's national elections, which were held April 11-18, 2010, in February 2008 and established offices in Khartoum and Juba.

The Center deployed 12 long-term observers based in five of Sudan's regions to assess the electoral process.  For the voter registration period, Nov. 1- Dec. 7, 2009, the long-term observers were joined by an additional 20 medium-term observers to assess voter registration throughout Sudan at both static and mobile registration centers.

In early April 2010, the Center deployed more than 70 short-term observers to observe the balloting, counting, and tabulation processes for the national elections.  The Carter Center observation mission was led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, former Algerian Foreign Minister and member of the Elders Lakhdar Brahimi, former Prime Minister of Tanzania and Justice Joseph Sinde Warioba, and Carter Center President and CEO Dr. John Hardman. Carter Center core staff and long-term observers assessed the post-election complaints and appeals process and their resolution.