IMIE CONDUCTS
MONITORING OF DECEMBER 15, 2005,
IRAQI ELECTIONS

Amman – December 13, 2005 – Following its monitoring of the January elections and the October referendum, the International Mission for Iraqi Elections (IMIE) is conducting its third monitoring of Iraqi elections this year. The Iraqi election for the Council of Representatives is taking place on December 15 and the out-of-country voting (OCV) will take place on December 13–15, 2005.

IMIE assessments will rely on a number of information sources. They include findings gathered by the IMIE Liaison Office in Iraq, reporting by international rapporteurs and monitors from countries of the European Union and observations reported by national observation groups such as the Iraqi Election Information Network (EIN), Shamms and Tammuz.

IMIE deployment of international rapporteurs from the EU member countries is assisted by the presence of four EU elections experts in Baghdad. These experts are providing technical training to approximately 55 monitors who will be working in Baghdad, and in the south and north of the country.

For OCV, which is being conducted in 15 countries, IMIE has accredited, recruited, and trained 350 short-term observers (STOs). In each of the 15 countries, STOs are under the management of experienced IMIE country coordinators.

The IMIE will release a preliminary statement on the Iraqi elections on December 15, 2005, and will release its final report early in 2006.

The International Mission for Iraqi Elections was established on December 20, 2004, as a result of the Iraq Election Monitoring Forum (Ottawa, December 19–20, 2004). Comprised mainly of independent electoral management bodies, the IMIE is focusing on the election process in Iraq, as well as the registration and voting process outside Iraq. The Mission is led by a steering committee composed of members of independent election commissions and electoral experts from around the world. IMIE established a secretariat for this mission in Amman, Jordan, in January 2005. The purpose of the IMIE is to monitor and report on the Iraq electoral process, and to provide recommendations to the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq.