Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Baghdad

Beecroft, IHEC’s Chairman discuss preparations for upcoming elections

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) U.S. Ambassador Stephen Beecroft and U.S. Embassy staff met on Tuesday April 22 with Mr. Sarbast Rashid Mustafa, the Chairman of the Independent Higher Electoral Commission (IHEC) and Mr. Muqdad Alsharify, the Chief Electoral Officer of IHEC.

A statement by the US Embassy in Baghdad received by Iraqi News cited “Chairman Mustafa and CEO Alsharify outlined for the Ambassador the extensive plan that IHEC has in place for the national election on April 30. The Ambassador emphasized his appreciation for the professionalism and thoroughness of IHEC’s work under often very difficult circumstances and offered his condolences for IHEC employees who have been killed or injured as a result of this essential work.”

“The Ambassador expressed the expectation of the United States that the electoral process would reflect the will of the Iraqi people and that the Government of Iraq would take every measure to ensure that Iraqi citizens would be able to exercise their right to vote in a secure and fair environment. He relayed that he is confident that IHEC would succeed in its mission of achieving a result that would be credible and represent the democratic decision of the Iraqi people,” the statement continued.

“The United States has consistently emphasized with Iraqi officials from across the political spectrum of the importance for the election to take place on time and has fully supported the independence of IHEC as defined in the Iraqi constitution,” the statement stressed.

“Chairman Mustafa extended his appreciation for the technical support provided by the U.S. Government for conducting transparent and credible elections in Iraq,” the statement concluded.

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