The United Nations has appointed Charlotte Osei as an International Elections Commissioner to Afghanistan as it prepares to hold crucial presidential polls in September.
The appointment of the former EC Chair was confirmed by a Presidential Decree issued by the President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani.
The former E.C boss of Ghana is expected to join a team of other UN-appointed election experts from around the world to provide much needed technical support, capacity building and electoral best practice advice to the Election Complaints Commission and the Independent Electoral Commission charged with delivering a peaceful democratic process and credible elections.
Mrs Osei has extensive legal credentials and electoral management experience, making her well-placed to take on this challenging role, which is critical to successful, free and fair democratic elections in Afghanistan.
Mrs Osei’s appointment stands as a testament to her reputation and dedication to the delivery of free and fair elections in developing nations, as well as international confidence in Ghana’s democratic processes. It follows her recent appointment as a member of the ECOWAS Elections Observer team that monitored the 2019 Nigerian Presidential Elections.
Mrs Osei joins Presidential and UN appointees Ahmed Issack Hassan former Chair of the Kenya Electoral Commission, and Ivilina Aleksieva-Robinson of Bulgaria, appointed to the IEC, and Neel Uptrety of Nepal to the ECC.
Her appointment to this high profile position in Afghanistan raises Ghana to the world stage and highlights the nation’s successful journey towards a stable, secure and peaceful democracy.
Free, fair and peaceful elections are the cornerstone of any democracy, and partnership and collaboration with international experts such as Mrs Osei will prove invaluable as Afghanistan’s democracy grows and strengthens.
