UN To Support Referendum Process

9 November 2010 – (Khartoum) – The UN special envoy to Sudan Haile Menkerios says the UN will support the referendum commission to ensure that the voters’ registration begins as scheduled and the referendum process runs smoothly.

Menkerios says that most of the preparations for the registration have been accomplished by the SSRC and he is optimistic that the exercise will begin on the 15th of November.

He addressed the press after meeting the SSRC chairman professor Mohamed Ibrahim Khalil in Khartoum on Tuesday.

[Haile Menkerios]: “The UN is supporting the process of the preparations of the referendum. And given the very short time, things have progressed. Much of what is needed to be in place some remains; the commission believes it is possible to have it in place, to have registration in time. We will continue to work together, to make sure that it does so. Well that’s exactly what am talking about. The logistics as far as the south is concerned; much is ready already, but the training of those who have been hired, will need a short training and they will be in place on time. The locations have not all been finalized, but we do believe it is possible, to get them in place to start registration on time.”

The registration exercise is to begin on the 15th of this month in Sudan and abroad.