DILI, 17 may 2023 (TATOLI) – The 11 elements of the Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) headed by Ambassador José Marcos Barrica from Angola, were appointed by the Member of State and the Executive Secretariat of the organization to witness the final phase of the electoral campaign and election day in Timor-Leste.
The team of the Electoral Observation Mission of CPLP was appointed following an invitation from the Minister of State Administration, Miguel de Carvalho.
“The CPLP observer will remain in Timor-Leste until may 24, 2023 to witness the final phase of the electoral campaign, the day of the elections as well as the partial tabulation in the municipalities of Dili, Baucau, Ermera, and Aileu,” read the statement.
The CPLP Executive Secretariat, on the ground, team will coordinate the action with other election observation missions, namely with the Mission of the Network of Jurisdictional Bodies and Electoral Administration of Portuguese-Speaking Countries and, as happened in the presidential elections 2022, with the mission of the g7+, the organization that holds the category of CPLP associate observer.
The CPLP team of election observers shall hold a meeting with candidate parties for the election, with administration and Electoral bodies, government officials from Timor-Leste, and the Heads of Diplomatic Missions of the Member States that are present in the country.
“The Mission will publicly present a preliminary statement with the results of the observation carried out,”the statement said.
The CPLP has extensive experience in Electoral Observation Missions in its Member States, having been present in Timor-Leste in several other parliamentary and presidential elections, including the Referendum of 30 August 1999.
It should be recalled that the MOE-CPLP sent 16 observers to the presidential elections in 2022. This mission remained in the country until March 27th. This Mission was headed by the Angolan Ambassador, José Alves Primo.
The diplomat had said that the presence of the EOM-CPLP in Timor-Leste was aimed at observing the procedures of the Timorese authorities in carrying out the elections.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia Borges