A Commonwealth Observer Group (COG), headed by His Excellency Danny Faure, former President of Seychelles, will observe Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election on 21 September 2024.
The 14-member group was appointed by Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, following a pre-election assessment mission and an invitation from the Election Commission of Sri Lanka.
Announcing the group in London, Secretary-General Scotland highlighted the Commonwealth’s role in supporting democratic processes, stating, “Election observation work is a core strength of the Commonwealth, providing vital support to the process and institutions of democracy across our member states, in line with the principles and aspirations of our Charter.”
The COG will assess factors affecting the credibility of the election, including the pre-election environment, voting procedures, counting, tabulation processes, and the post-election environment. Their observations will be detailed in an interim report, followed by a final report with recommendations to strengthen future elections.
The Secretary-General expressed gratitude to Chairperson Danny Faure and the distinguished experts from across the Commonwealth participating in this mission. The group will independently determine if the election meets Sri Lanka’s electoral laws and international standards, adhering to the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation, which the Commonwealth co-signed in 2005.
Upon completing their assignment, the COG will submit a comprehensive report to the Secretary-General, which will be made public and shared with the Sri Lankan Government, Election Commission, political parties, and Commonwealth member governments.
The Commonwealth Observer Group will be in Sri Lanka from 15 to 27 September, supported by a seven-member team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by Lindiwe Maleleka, Political Adviser in the Electoral Support Section of the Governance and Peace Directorate.
Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group:
- Chairperson: HE Danny Faure, former President of Seychelles
- Members:
- Mr. Ian Hughes, Supervisor of Elections, Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission, Antigua and Barbuda
- Hon. Allyson Maynard Gibson, Former Attorney-General, The Bahamas
- Mrs. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer, Belize
- Ms. Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls, Programme Manager, Pacific Women Mediators Network, Fiji
- Dr. Tres-Ann Kremer, Regional Director-Caribbean, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Jamaica
- Ambassador Manoah Esipisu, Former Kenyan High Commissioner to the UK, Kenya
- Ms. Sara Naseem, Former Communications & Advocacy Manager, Transparency Maldives, Maldives
- Hon. Maryan Street MNZM, Former Cabinet Minister, New Zealand
- Dr. Aderemi Ajibewa, Former Political Director, ECOWAS, Nigeria
- Mr. Mohammad Amir Wasim, Bureau Chief, Daily Dawn, Pakistan
- Cynthia Barrow-Giles, Professor of Constitutional Governance, The University of the West Indies, Saint Lucia
- Professor Mandla Mchunu, Former Chief Electoral Officer, South Africa
- Dr. Victor Shale, Governance and Elections Expert, South Africa
