Presidential Election, 9 October 2004

OSCE Permanent Council Decision 622 mandated an Election Support Team (EST) to analyse the electoral process in Afghanistan during the 2004 Presidential election and recommend suitable electoral and legislative improvements in advance of Parliamentary, provincial and local elections in 2005.

The EST comprised of 42 people, with extensive cumulative experience in election administration and observation. The EST was established on 15 September and deployed 15 teams in groups of 2-4 people from 29 September on 12 October to Kabul and 7 other regional centres as well as the provincial capital of Faizabad.

According to the report, “the election was a remarkable accomplishment given the security and infrastructure problems. The EST recommends a number of measures to improve election administration in general. In addition the Team lays out a road map of steps necessary to prepare for parliamentary elections, which are supposed to be held in April/May 2005. If the newly elected President and his Government are to meet this deadline, immediate action is necessary on a number of fronts. There is no question that the parliamentary, provincial and district elections will be much more difficult to administer than the Presidential elections were.”

“The EST believes that the OSCE can make an important contribution to the democratic process in Afghanistan. In particular, the Team recommends that OSCE/ODIHR develop a programme to build capacity among election administrators. There are numerous talented and committed Afghans who are eager to further develop their skills. The OSCE can assist them through training programmes, enlisting their participation in election observation missions outside Afghanistan and the formation of an association of election administrators similar to those created in OSCE member States.”