Jimmy Carter to Lead Carter Center Delegation to Nepal's Nov. 19 Election

CONTACT: Deborah Hakes, in Atlanta 1-404-420-5124 or dhakes@emory.edu; in Kathmandu beginning Nov. 14 +977-98511-63813

Atlanta…The Carter Center announced today that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai will co-lead the Carter Center's delegation to observe Nepal's Nov. 19 constituent assembly election. The Center's mission will include more than 50 observers representing 27 nations deployed throughout the country.

President Carter, Dr. Sathirathai, and the Carter Center leadership team will meet with key stakeholders, political parties, independent candidates, civil society organizations, government officials, and the international community, and will observe polling and counting on Nov. 19-21.

The Carter Center is observing Nepal's constituent assembly election at the written invitation of the Election Commission of Nepal and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi.

Working to build peace in Nepal since 2003, the Center observed the country's first constituent assembly elections in 2008, and then conducted long-term political and constitutional monitoring until June 2013. The Center's findings were compiled into more than 20 public reports that were shared with government, the media, and civil society, in an effort to give all Nepalis a voice in their country's future.

The Center's observation mission is conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers (PDF) that was adopted at the United Nations in 2005 and has been endorsed by more than 40 election observation groups.The Center assesses the electoral process based on Nepal's national legal framework and its obligations for democratic elections contained in regional and international agreements.

The Carter Center releases periodic reports of its findings in Nepal, available at www.cartercenter.org.

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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope." 
A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in more than 70 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.