Referendum Bureau Recieves More Vehicles

10 November 2010 – (Juba) – The Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau has received 20 vehicles from the United Nations Integrated Referendum and Electoral Division, UNIRED, on Wednesday in Juba for the process of the referendum.

The 20 vehicles were purchased from the UN’s basket fund of 58 million dollars donated by 8 countries.

The Director of UNIRED, Dennis Kadima, handed over the vehicles to the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau on Wednesday in Juba.

[Dennis Kadima]: “This function is about handing over the 20 vehicles to the commission in our support to the referendum process. This is in addition to the 90 vehicles that the Government of Southern Sudan provided to the bureau. In addition to this, in the coming weeks or days, we will be making 200 vehicles to the commission; these are hired vehicles so that it can support the registration process. As the United Nations, we will move step by step with the people of Sudan until the completion of this important milestone in the CPA.”

The Chairman of the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau Chan Reech who received the vehicles expressed his happiness for the continued support from the international community.

[Chan Reech]: “I thank our partners once again. Until last August, we didn’t know that it was going to be possible because a lot of things had to be done. But now in front of us we have everything ready. The materials have been produced from outside Sudan, they are in our stores, here are the cars. This evening, we are also going to receive a plane that has been purchased for us. Anywhere we want to go in Southern Sudan it is possible on a daily basis. This is to monitor the conduct of the referendum. The plane has been provided by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, IFES.”

Chan said the vehicles will soon be dispensed to the ten states of Southern Sudan. Meanwhile, 8 thousand registration officials are being trained on registration procedures.