Govt urged to ensure transparency in appointment of new commissioners

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: The Electoral Support Group (ESG) in an open letter congratulated the Afghan people on their commitment to the democratic process, as demonstrated at the 2018 parliamentary elections.

“We will support the right of the Afghan people to decide their future through a credible electoral process and look forward to the swift finalization of the parliamentary election results,” reads the letter.

“We take note of the recent amendments to the 2016 Electoral Law and the decision of the Government of Afghanistan to replace the Commissioners of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC),” it added.

The ESG expected the selection process and the ultimate appointments to the Commissions to be transparent and unequivocally aimed at strengthening the independence and integrity of the electoral institutions and reinstating the Afghan people’s trust and confidence in the electoral process.

The group strongly urged political parties, civil society organizations, presidential candidates and the Government to discharge this important responsibility in good faith by nominating and selecting qualified, non-partisan and professional individuals with integrity, electoral and management experience, and moral standing, and who meet the legal requirements.

“We call on the Government and all stakeholders involved to commit to transparency in all stages of the selection process, including by publishing the selection criteria, procedures, the full list of nominees, and by regularly updating the public.”

The appointments should be made quickly, so as not to delay the necessary preparations for the presidential election. We also urge the Government and all relevant stakeholders to give the Secretariats of the IEC and ECC the necessary support to continue urgent preparatory work.

The Election Support Group (ESG) comprises the key donors– the European Union, the Governments of Australia, Sweden (on behalf of the Nordic plus), Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, the United States of America – as well as NATO and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). It is chaired by UNAMA and convenes on a weekly basis. (Pajhwok)