October 28, 2009

The African Union (AU) mission of observers to the presidential and legislative elections of October 25, 2009 in the Republic of Tunisia released the following statement:

"As part of implementing provisions relevant to the Durban Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, which was adopted in July 2002 by the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, his Excellency Jean Ping, Chairman of the African Union Commission dispatched a mission of multidisciplinary observers made up of ten members to the Republic of Tunisia, on the occasion of the presidential and legislative elections of October 25, 2009.

The African Union's observers mission led by His Excellency, Mr. Benjamin Bounkoulou, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice- President of the Senate in the Republic of Congo, is composed of Pan- African and national MPs, members of civil society and human rights defence organisations and election experts.

Teams of observers from the African Union were deployed in six regions, namely: Tunis, Monastir, Sousse, Bizerte, Sfax and Djerba.

They monitored the electoral process and noted what follows:

- The electoral campaign took place in calm and serenity

- The voting process took place in freedom and regularity

The African Union's observers mission congratulates the Tunisian people on their participation, the climate of serenity that prevailed throughout the election and the political parties and the civil society for the sense of responsibility they had demonstrated during these elections.

It also congratulates the Ministry of the Interior, its Governorates, as well as the National Observatory of Elections for the orderly election.

Given the foregoing, the African Union's observers mission asserts that the October 25, elections were held in calm and serenity.

Accordingly, the African Union observers' mission calls on the various political actors and the civil society to further work to strengthen democracy in the Republic of Tunisia. Done in Tunis, October 27, 2009."