Kyrgyzstan, Presidential Election, 30 October 2011: Needs Assessment Mission Report

In anticipation of an invitation to observe the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for 30 October 2011, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) undertook a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) to the Kyrgyz Republic from 13 to 15 July 2011. The OSCE/ODIHR NAM included Beata Martin-Rozumilowicz, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Department, Armin Rabitsch, OSCE/ODIHR Senior Election Adviser, Lusine Badalyan, OSCE/ODIHR Election Adviser, and Anna Chernova, Programme Director with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA).

The purpose of the mission was to assess the pre-election environment and the preparations for the presidential election. Based on this assessment, the NAM was to recommend whether to deploy an OSCE/ODIHR election-related activity for the forthcoming election, and if so, what type of activity best meets the identified needs. Meetings were held with representatives of the state authorities, election administration, political parties, media, civil society and international community.