The Carter Centre yesterday welcomed the conclusion of national voter registration, which ended on December 7, and congratulated the people of the Sudan for the broad and generally peaceful participation in the registration process.
National Elections Commission (NEC) figures indicate that an estimated 71 percent of the eligible population of Northern Sudan and 98 percent of Southern Sudan registered.Women’s participation reportedly exceeded 50 percent.
The Carter Center laments that 13 of Sudan’s 25 states fell short of the NEC’s registration targets, including all three states in the Darfur region.
The Center notes that significant challenges remain in the electoral process ahead.
It urges the full protection of political rights and freedoms, key reform legislation, including the National Security Forces Act and laws pertaining to the referenda.
The Centre calls on the NEC to boost public information on the electoral process, especially in areas with comparatively low levels of registration, to ensure citizens understand their rights and responsibilities under the electoral system.