Dispatch of Electoral Observation Personnel for the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in the United Republic of Tanzania

October 25, 2000

The Government of Japan has decided to dispatch Mr. Keitaro Sato, Ambassador to Tanzania, and four other Embassy officials to the International Electoral Observation Mission for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections to be held on October 29 (Sun) in the United Republic of Tanzania.
The elections will be the second held under the multiparty system (the first were in 1995), and have great significance in that they will further advance democratization and good governance in Tanzania.
The electoral observation will be implemented by the International Electoral Observation Mission coordinated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other organizations, in response to a request from the National Electoral Commission of Tanzania. The observers from Japan will act as members of that Mission.
The Government of Japan has already extended grass-roots grant aid totaling 60,600 US dollars (about 7,272,000 yen) for the installation of facsimile machines in 80 out of 159 local offices of the Electoral Commission so that information can be smoothly transmitted between the National Electoral Commission Headquarters and these offices, which will be established in all 25 regions of Tanzania.

(END)