IOM in Ecuador will manage security and operations in addition to
providing logistical and administrative support for the European
Union Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Ecuador this month.

The new Ecuadorian Constitution, approved via a national
referendum on 30 September, 2008, established that every elected
public office would be subject to elections at a date to be
determined.

April 26, 2009 was chosen as the date when all Ecuadorians will
go to the polls to elect 5,964 officials across the nation
including the President, Vice President, Assembly members,
provincial authorities, mayors, and municipal and parish council
members.

With the objective of supporting the development of democracy in
Ecuador, the EU EOM arrived in Ecuador in mid March to begin its
work which will continue until after election day. With observers
deployed throughout Ecuador's 24 provinces, the EU EOM will
coordinate with the National Election Council (NAC), verify that
there are no irregularities during the voting process, observe vote
counting and transmission of results to the NAC, and monitor media
and public opinion.

For its part, IOM is in charge of all logistical and
administrative support, which includes arranging all travel by air
and land, travel documents, vehicles, accommodation, providing
briefings on health concerns, training on safe practices and
security conditions, as well as support in the pre-selection of
local staff.

"This electoral process is historic. There have never been such
a large number of representatives up for election at the same
time.  IOM's support to the Observer Mission is vital to
ensure a peaceful and fair process," explains Alejandro Guidi, IOM
Chief of Mission in Ecuador.

If necessary, a second round of voting will take place on 14
June. This is the fourth electoral process carried out since Rafael
Correa assumed the Presidency of Ecuador in January 2007.

"The Ecuadorian government also requested that IOM act as the
International Observer for the Out-of-Country Voting in the cities
with large numbers of Ecuadorian diaspora registered to vote," adds
Guidi.  "IOM is currently arranging the logistics for this
activity, which will be the fifth time that IOM oversees the
Ecuadorian Out-of-Country Voting process."

Last September IOM was observer for Out of Country Voting for
Ecuadorians living in Milan, Italy; Madrid, Murcia and Barcelona,
Spain; the states of New Jersey and New York; Santiago, Chile, and
Caracas, Venezuela.  It is estimated that more than two
million Ecuadorians are living abroad.  Approximately 152,000
are registered to vote in the upcoming elections. 

For further information please contact:

Ana María Guzmán

IOM Quito

Tel: +593.2.22.53.948/49

E-mail: "mailto:aguzman@iom.int">aguzman@iom.int