Officials of Iraq's Independent Electoral Commission finish UN-backed training

Officials serving with Iraq's Independent Electoral Commission have concluded two weeks of intensive training in Mexico City - a crucial step in the run-up to polling set for early next year, the United Nations announced today.

The seven Commissioners and a Chief Electoral Officer - who had been selected in an open, UN-led process - received training on a range of issues, including the standards and principles of credible elections, approaches for dispute resolution and voter registration. Other areas covered were the registration of political parties, voter education campaigns, and procedures for polling, counting and tabulating results.

Presenters included staff of electoral institutions from around the world - Argentina, Mauritius, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, the United States, Yemen and the occupied Palestinian territory - as well as UN experts and staff from other international organizations.

The training was provided by the UN in partnership with Mexico's Federal Institute of Elections.

The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq has exclusive jurisdiction over the organization, management and oversight of the balloting scheduled to be held by 31 January 2005, and throughout the subsequent transition.