On October 11 the experts of the Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) arrived in Tashkent. The ODIHR decided to send the NAM for the period from 11 to 14 October 2016.
The mission includes the Head of the Elections Department of the OSCE ODIHR Alexander Shlyk (Belarus) and the Elections Adviser Ulvi Akhundlu (Azerbaijan).
On September 17, 2016 the Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan sent an invitation to ODIHR through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to observe the Presidential elections in Uzbekistan, scheduled for 4 December.
According to the established practice, the OSCE ODIHR takes a decision whether to deploy an OSCE/ODIHR election-related activity for the forthcoming elections, and if so, its format, duration and the number of observers required for the assessment of the pre-election environment and preparations for elections, analysis of compliance of the national electoral legislation with the generally accepted international standards.
The so-called needs assessment is conducted ahead of the elections and, as a rule, during 2-3 days by the experts of the Elections Department of ODIHR OSCE, in accordance with the methodology described in the Guidelines for Election Observation, published by ODIHR in the second edition in 2010.
During the visit of the NAM, the meetings are to be held at the Foreign Ministry, Central Election Commission, Supreme Court, the Legislative Chamber and Senate of Oliy Majlis, Ministry of Justice, National Centre for Human Rights, National Broadcasting Company, Uzbek Agency for Press and Information, as well as with representatives of political parties, the Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for human Rights and the representatives of civil society institutions.
Following the meetings NAM will prepare a conclusion, which will reflect such criteria as the existence of minimum conditions for effective, credible and professional election observation, political pluralism, transparency and confidence of society in the electoral process, as well as the implementation of the election-related recommendations of ODIHR over previous elections.
Needs Assessment Mission conducted its activities in Uzbekistan in the years 2004, 2009 and 2014. In previous years, based on the findings of the mission, Limited Observation Missions, not more than 25 people from the 15-18 OSCE participatant-states, were sent to Uzbekistan to observe the elections.
We remind that, to date, such international organizations as the SCO, OIC, A-WEB and the CIS Executive Committee expressed willingness to take part in observation of the Presidential elections in Uzbekistan.
The participation of a large number of international observers will contribute to openness and transparency, improve the credibility of the electoral process, and enhance the exchange of experience and information on the issues related to holding of democratic elections.
