Commonwealth Observer Team At State House

The team conferred with President Biya on Friday, October 4, 2013, but its detailed report is expected much later.

Mr. Irfan Abdool Rahman, Head of the Commonwealth observer team to the just-ended legislative and council elections called on President of the Republic last Friday at State House to share views on the conduct of the poll.

The audience with the Head of State, begun at 1 pm, took some 30 minutes and when he emerged from the exchange, Mr. Irfan Abdool Rahman told State House correspondents that he had simply conveyed his general appreciation of the development of democracy in Cameroon to President Biya. He specified that his terms of assignment prevented him from making specific assessments on the conduct of the double election to the press.

"We are at the moment preparing our report based on our observations on the field... The report will be tendered to the Commonwealth authorities in London who will then make known the Commonwealth point of view on the elections in a formal manner to the government of Cameroon", the Head of the Commonwealth observer team said.

That notwithstanding the Mauritian national, who head the elections governing body in Mauritius, said he had availed himself of the audience to discuss relations between Cameroon and the Commonwealth. He described relations between the organization and Cameroon as very warm, noting that President Biya seemed determined to work to further strengthen ties. He said the Commonwealth has been very engaged in Cameroon, stressing that emphasis would be on strengthening ELECAM, Cameroon's elections governing body.

On a more personal vote, Mr. Irfan Abdool Rahman said he is familiar with Cameroon, having visited the country some ten times since the country became a member of the Commonwealth in 1995. Such vantage observation obviously gives credit to his positive appraisal of the democratization process. "I am very impressed with the tolerance, peace and political maturity exhibited by Cameroonians", he told State House correspondents.

Mr. Irfan Abdool Rahman, the Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, was chosen last month by the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma to lead the observer team in Cameroon. The team also included Judith Pestaina, Political Advisor to the government of Dominica and Diane Mensah - Bonsu and Diana Copper both of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.

Their terms of reference included making an analysis of the "general conduct and framework of the elections and an evaluation according to standards for democratic elections to which Cameroon has committed itself, with reference to national election-related Commonwealth and other international organizations".

President Biya was assisted at the audience by the Minister Deputy Secretary General, (N° 1) at the Presidency, Peter Agbor Tabi.