News (Consolidated) - UNSOM

14 June 2009 - The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG), Kai Eide, has met with Presidential candidates Dr. Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah in separate meetings to discuss the election process. The SRSG presented to them a set of “Essential Guidelines for Conduct during…

KABUL - Across Afghanistan a huge outreach programme is moving up a gear as hundreds of thousands of people start to hear about the forthcoming elections. The north east of the country, which includes the provinces of Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan and Badakhshan, is no exception, with the Public Outreach…

KABUL - The public awareness campaign for the forthcoming elections is continuing in Jalalabad in Nangarhar province and in the surrounding districts. One man carrying out the huge awareness programme is Mohammad Gharanay, 54, one of the Civic Educators of the Independent Election Commission. At one…

KABUL - Presidential and provincial candidates for the forthcoming elections were today given their positions on the ballot paper. Candidates or their representatives picked out chits with a given number from a box, in a ceremony that was conducted by the Independent Election Commission in Kabul…

KABUL - It’s not just Afghanistan’s police and elections officials who are being trained for the forthcoming presidential and provincial elections. The country’s budding journalists, too, are sharpening their pens – and, possibly, their rhetoric – in anticipation of the historic 20 August polls…

9 June 2009 - The number of people calling Afghanistan’s election hotline is growing everyday, with about 25,000 Afghans ringing the free number each week. Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission set up the dedicated call centre to answer questions on the forthcoming elections from people…

9 June 2009 - A total of fifty seven candidates from more than 3,000 for this year’s elections in Afghanistan have been disqualified from taking part in the polls. The Electoral Complaints Commission made the announcement today on the candidates who do not meet the qualification requirements for the…

1 June 2009 - In less than three months, people from across Afghanistan go to the ballot box to elect the next president of their country. Scheduled on 20 August, the presidential and provincial council elections are the second elections to be held in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in…

31 May 2009 - A major programme is underway in Afghanistan to train 35,000 police officers in time for the 20 August presidential and provincial council elections. Officers are being readied to tackle security threats and to provide the necessary cover to enable voters to come out confidently and…

KABUL - The United Nations, international embassies, donors and Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission met in Kabul today to ascertain support needs for the country’s 2009 presidential and provincial council elections. The meeting was jointly chaired by the United Nations Special…

KABUL - I welcome today’s statement by the Independent Election Commission reaffirming 20 August as the date of Afghanistan’s 2009 presidential and provincial council elections. This date will provide the time needed for the IEC with the support of the international community to make practical and…

KABUL - The Security Council today extended the United Nations presence in Afghanistan for another year, while recognizing the key role played by the world body in coordinating international efforts in the country and in supporting upcoming elections. In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15…