Protocol for the Iraqi Elections

"Ottawa Protocol"

International Mission for the Iraqi Elections

Note: This document was adopted by the Steering Committee on January 5, 2005 and is subject to further revision by the Steering Committee.

1. The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) recognizes in regulation 05/2004 – Electoral Observers the importance of electoral observers in the conduct of democratic elections. The IECI, with the support of the United Nations (UN), has approved an international mission to follow the election preparations and make informed judgments, and to build capacity and confidence through assessment of identified targets and activities. In the case of Iraq, the international review function will be provided through the organization of an impartial and neutral mission that is dedicated to this purpose, in the spirit of UN Security Council resolution 1546.

2. The objective of the International Mission for the Iraqi Elections (IMIE) is to provide the IECI, political entities, civil society, Iraqi voters and the international community with neutral and impartial assessments, evaluations, and observations on the Iraqi electoral process intended to support the building of democratic institutions in that country. In achieving this objective the Mission will employ a wide array of review and monitoring techniques both off-site by electoral experts and on-site in Iraq by specialists who will meet and make links with the IECI, government, political entities, and Iraqi election monitors as well as other international groups and organisations, such as the European Commission.

3. The IMIE is established for the purposes of the Iraqi election cycle as described in the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL). The electoral events within its mandate will include the voting for the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), governorates, and Kurdish regional assembly (January 30, 2005); constitutional referendum (October 2005); and national elections (December 2005). The mandate of the body will be refined in light of conditions on the ground as well as the outcomes of the January elections. This mission may serve as a model for other elections involving the United Nations.

4. The IMIE's areas of focus will include the legal framework; registration of voters, political parties, coalitions, and candidates' registrations and certifications; impartial pre-polling complaint procedures; voter education; equitable access to media; electoral preparations; polling; vote counting and compilation of results; and the adequate processing of post-election complaints.

5. The IMIE will be led by a Steering Committee composed of independent chief electoral officers and electoral commissioners or their nominees. The Steering Committee will select a chair. The policies of the IMIE will be governed by its Steering Committee and its leadership. It will adopt a code of ethics to govern the behavior of its representatives. The IMIE will be able to receive bilateral contributions of human and financial resources.

6. The Steering Committee remains open to extending its membership throughout its existence. Other appropriate organizations, such as the Inter-American Union of Electoral Institutions, can be alerted to opportunities to participate in the activities of the mission throughout the election cycle as set out in the TAL.

Signed by the Members of the Steering Committee at London, United Kingdom

January 5 2005