VZCZCXRO7372
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0714/01 1521317
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 011317Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3897
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000714 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A/S CARSON, AF/E, DRL 
NSC FOR MGAVIN 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KDEM SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN'S NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION TO MISS ITS SECOND 
DEADLINE: VOTER REGISTRATION 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 696 
B) KHARTOUM 578 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The February 2010 election timeframe  announced by 
Sudan's National Electoral Commission (NEC) in April remains 
unchanged, but voter registration that was supposed to begin on June 
2 in conjunction with that announcement is not even close to 
starting, according to UNMIS Electoral Chief Affairs Officer Ray 
Kennedy. Kennedy also noted that the NEC is still struggling with a 
serious lack of capacity, and that its policy-making and operational 
activities are both suffering as a result. On a more positive note, 
the NEC has approved UNDP's Project Document for international 
support to elections and democratic processes.  The total budget for 
electoral assistance in the UNDP document currently stands at $68.7 
million (to be provided by international donors,) though this is 
expected to grow significantly in coming months. End Summary. 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) On May 28, poloff attended the monthly meeting of the 
Electoral Assistance Group (EAG) in Khartoum.  UNMIS Chief Electoral 
Affairs Officer Ray Kennedy told donors that the February 2010 
election date announced by the NEC remains the official date, but 
that the voter registration supposed to begin on June 2 in 
conjunction with that announcement was "not even close" to 
happening. Noting that numerous stakeholders were expecting voter 
registration to begin imminently, Kennedy urged that the NEC 
disseminate information on the status of registration efforts. He 
further reflected that if the delay in elections extends beyond 
April 2010, this would force elections to be held during the rainy 
season, adding additional obstacles to the already complicated 
endeavor [Note: Elections happening after April 2010 could also 
complicate preparation for the 2011 southern Sudan Referendum. End 
Note.] 
 
¶3. (SBU) The NEC is still struggling with a number of issues ranging 
from making key policy decisions to developing a budget for the 
electoral process, according to Kennedy. NEC capacity issues remain 
significant problems, he said, adding that the recent shifting of 
the awareness function from the NEC's Technical Committee to its 
Communication and Outreach Committee was unlikely to bring about any 
significant changes. "It's just shifting responsibilities without 
adding any new resources," he remarked. The NEC has brought onboard 
a media advisor, he said, which he hoped would help build capacity 
within the Commission. But overall, the NEC remains understaffed and 
underfunded, with the nine commissioners themselves, rather than 
technical support staff, involved in both policy-making and 
day-to-day operational activities (ref A). "As a result, both 
suffer," he said. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Kennedy noted that the NEC has sent small teams to the 25 
state-level and Southern Sudan high electoral commissions to deliver 
contracts for the State high commission members so that the latter 
can begin looking at the issue of constituency delimitation [Note: 
Constituency delimitation was supposed to have been completed by May 
15 per the NEC's April announcement, but is also severely behind 
schedule.  End Note.] A British Department of International 
Development (DFID) official here questioned how the appointment of 
State high commission members was conducted, expressing concern that 
it was not an inclusive group. Nearly 80 percent of the members are 
former civil servants, she said, including 20 percent who formerly 
belonged to the police force.   As a result, civil society groups 
and women are underrepresented. She questioned whether as former 
members of the state apparatus, the appointees met the requisite 
criteria of being "independent, experienced, non-partisan, and 
impartial." In response, Kennedy noted that the overabundance of 
former civil servants could be explained by the fact that due to 
their former professions (teachers, administrators, etc.), they were 
most likely to have the experience and qualifications necessary for 
the work of the commissions. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Kennedy also briefed the donors on other aspects of 
elections preparation, noting that he has provided feedback to the 
NEC on draft voter registration and constituency delimitation rules. 
With regard to the UN Electoral Needs Assessment Mission (NAM), 
which completed a ten day visit to Sudan in early May, Kennedy 
stated that UNMIS has not yet been provided a draft of its findings. 
Regarding security preparations, Kennedy stated that UNMIS is 
working with UN and national police to provide security training and 
monitoring and to develop a cohesive security plan to support the 
electoral process. 
 
¶6. (SBU) UNDP Electoral Officer Mary An told the donors that the 
Project Document for UNDP's support for Elections and Democratic 
Processes has been approved by the NEC, and a signing ceremony would 
 
KHARTOUM 00000714  002 OF 002 
 
 
be held later that day. The Project Document is expected to remain a 
"living document", she said, as it currently lacks key information 
on boundary delineation, registration, polling and other topics to 
be added later. (Note: The Project Document contains the budget for 
the Electio Assist!nce$Basket Fnd(DQBF), end aayt8fUndyng fro- 
jacket!fu/d"Domv,$Wdislqobutgpie$C( Nddnrmal$[.J2!jQu/ xuQQE,avmC1.B]iQ dnn:5o_(um'$mue`Qwperations with the NEC, UNMIS and UNDP electoral officers. 
 
¶7. (SBU) A number of UNDP procurements are in the pipeline following 
various requests from the NEC, including the furnishing of state 
offices and help in setting up the NEC Media Center. The Political 
Parties Affairs Council (PPAC) has also requested funding to furnish 
its headquarters. In terms of Requests For Proposals (RFPs), a 
proposal for the provision of support and training for domestic 
observers worth $3.2 million is currently in the final stage of 
approval at UN Headquarters in New York. Proposals for Media Support 
and Monitoring Services are being explored, while the RFP for Civic 
and Voter Education was scrapped due to the small bidding pool. 
In-house advisors will be used instead, according to An. In 
addition, a number of medium (around $80,000) and small ($3,000) 
grants for elections support will be distributed in the coming 
months, she said, with distribution of the medium grants beginning 
early summer and small grants in early fall. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment: The NEC's low capacity and largely unworkable 
operational model remain troubling obstacles to progress in the 
electoral process, though co-location may improve NEC coordination 
with UNMIS and UNDP. This could ease the NEC's resistance to 
international technical and policy expertise. While the current 
electoral calendar allows for some slippage in constituency 
delimitation and voter registration, any further setbacks threaten 
to delay the elections past April 2010 and into the rainy season. 
This would  heighten already significant challenges of carrying out 
free and fair elections in Sudan, as well as negatively impact 
preparations for the January 2011 southern Sudan Referendum. 
 
WHITEHEAD