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OAS Satisfied with Voter Registration in Haiti

  August 12, 2005

With all 427 voter registration offices open and operational in Haiti, the Organization of American States (OAS) is pleased and encouraged by the number of Haitians who continue to register to vote for the upcoming national elections, Secretary General José Miguel Insulza said today.

Insulza said the Haitian people have demonstrated their strong commitment to participating in the elections, with nearly 1.3 million Haitians currently registered and eligible to receive their National Identification Card. The OAS Electoral Technical Assistance Program in Haiti is providing support to registration efforts being conducted by the country’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP).

The recent National Registration Day (Journée nationale d’inscription), organized by the OAS, was a key component of the OAS strategy to support and promote a civic atmosphere surrounding the electoral process and the registration campaign in particular.

The decision by the government of Haiti to extend the voter registration period to September 15, 2005, is a positive development that will further strengthen democracy in Haiti, Insulza said.

“The OAS is confident that the peaceful and collaborative climate of the voter registration campaign will continue,” said the Secretary General, who urged all Haitians to continue to reject violence as the country prepares for elections and a democratic transition.

Reference: E-166/05