The French Speaking Electoral Knowledge Network (RECEF) has voted unanimously to support the National Election Committee (NEC) of Cambodia as a full member.
The RECEF is gearing up to observe the upcoming Cambodian parliamentary elections, which are slated for July 23.
In a May 28 press release, the NEC said the vote took place during the RECEF’s 11th international workshop on facilitating the trust of voters on May 25 in Paris, France.
The release explained that 22 member countries and three partner organisations of the RECEF - the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECEA) and The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) voted. The OIF consists of 88 country members.
Dim Sovannarom, a senior NEC member and head of its Press and Quick Reaction Unit, witnessed the vote. He also exhibited a selection of materials from the 2018 elections, including sample ballot papers and a photograph of an elephant delivering election materials to a remote Mondulkiri polling station.
Sam Kuntheamy, executive director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC), said on May 29 the NEC’s membership of the RECEF was a positive thing, as they could learn from the valuable experiences of their fellow members.
He added that as the NEC is now a member, the RECEF will dispatch observers to monitor ballot preparations and the general atmosphere of the election in Cambodia.
