International Carter Center Delegation Observes
Historic Nepal Elections

10 April 2008

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Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter led the Carter Center's international election observation delegation to Nepal's historic constituent assembly elections, co-led by Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, former deputy prime minister of Thailand.

The 62 observers from more than 20 nations monitored polls throughout Nepal from the 7 a.m. opening until closing at 5 p.m., observed the counting process, and handling of challenges.

The delegation leaders arrived in Kathmandu on April 7, 2008, where they met  with the election commission, political party leaders, representatives of domestic and international election observation delegations, and others.

The Carter Center's observation mission -- the only international election observation organization present throughout Nepal's entire electoral process -- established its field office and deployed long-term observers in March 2007.  They traveled throughout the country's 75 districts multiple times during the pre-election period.

 
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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in more than 70 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; improving mental health care; and teaching farmers in developing nations to increase crop production. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.

The Carter Center conducts election observation activities in a nonpartisan, professional manner in accordance with applicable Nepali law and international standards for election observation as set forth in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. The Center coordinates closely with other international and domestic observer delegations and publishes its statements on its Web site: www.cartercenter.org. The goal of the Center's mission in Nepal is to demonstrate international support for and provide an independent assessment of the constituent assembly election process in order to help to consolidate sustainable peace and multi-party democracy in Nepal.