VZCZCXRO1210
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1816 3241427
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201427Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9241
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001816 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, AF/SE NATSIOS 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SU
SUBJECT: FIRST MEETING OF THE CIVIC AND VOTER EDUCATION GROUP 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Election Donor Group (EDG) held the first 
meeting of its sub-group for civic and voter education on November 
18, at the European Commission headquarters in Khartoum. The meeting 
was a brainstorming session to discuss the objectives and terms of 
reference (TOR) for the group, exchange information on current donor 
support, and suggest ideas on potential areas of intervention. Those 
present, including DFID, CIDA, the US, the UN and Norway, agreed on 
the importance of coordinating donor support in the period leading 
up to the elections. End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Donor development partners, led by the European Commission, 
the Dutch and the Canadians, established the Electoral Donor Group 
(EDG) to facilitate dialogue, share information and improve 
international coordination with the electoral process in Sudan, with 
a view of developing a common approach to electoral assistance. 
(Note: The EDG is not a CPA-mandated institution. End note.) 
According to the proposed TOR for the civic and voter education 
sub-group, it would help contribute to a "harmonised and coordinated 
response of the donor and international community in support of the 
elections; a meaningful and productive dialogue and support 
mechanism between the government and the international community; 
and an election law that is according to international standards." 
The TOR also proposes a joint "basket fund" to which donors would 
contribute; poloff indicated that USG efforts would be independent 
of this fund. 
 
¶3. (SBU) DFID is currently preparing to move forward on an 11 
million-pound project targeting civil society and media prior to the 
elections, with an emphasis on reaching non-urban areas. The UNMIS 
elections groups will begin sending voter volunteers to the field in 
January for a ground assessment before undertaking voter education 
projects. For its part, CIDA put forward a proposal through which it 
would conduct a baseline study on civic and voter education projects 
throughout Sudan, envisioning it initially as a resource for the 
donor community. All present agreed on the necessity of coordinating 
activities with the government of Sudan. 
 
-------------------- 
ELECTIONS BACKGROUND 
-------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Scheduled to take place in 2009, general elections are a 
major milestone of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). They are 
scheduled to take place on six levels: for the  presidencies of the 
Government of National Unity (GNU) and the Government of Southern 
Sudan (GOSS); for the National Assembly and the South Sudan 
Legislative Assembly; and for the governorships and state 
legislatures in all 25 states. Domestic and international 
institutions are already planning for the elections, although many 
legal and logistic issues must be resolved before they take place. 
Sudan must conduct a census; clarify or pass laws regarding 
political parties and the conduct of election; embark upon voter 
registration, civic education, and training of election monitors and 
polling agents; and confirm the election date. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The management and operational framework of the EDG asks 
the Chair person to call and host a monthly meeting of the EDG, and 
establish subgroups to discuss, share information and provide advice 
to the EDG on specific election related areas. The civic and voter 
education group is one of the subgroups included in the current six 
subgroups of the EDG. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The CPA states that the elections must be held by July 
2009, but the date has not yet been set. Some donors are concerned 
that holding the elections in July, which falls in the middle of the 
rainy season, would disenfranchise southern voters. Moreover, since 
the constitutions of both the north and the south call for a runoff 
if a presidential candidate does not obtain more than 50 percent of 
the vote in the election, planning for this eventuality must take 
place as well. Currently, donors are discussing the possibility of 
holding elections in February, which would allow a potential runoff 
election before the beginning of the rainy season in April. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: Despite the current NCP-SPLM political impasse, 
donors are moving forward with planning for the census (septel) and 
elections. Donors were enthusiastic about the CIDA proposal, as 
there is no baseline study currently in the works. Though still in 
the early stages, the civic and voter EDG subgroup seems to be 
moving in the right direction. The next meeting will take place in 
early December. End comment. 
 
FERNANDEZ