Role of UN Volunteers was crucial to the success of the elections in Timor-Leste, said President José Ramos-Horta

Dili, Timor-Leste – The President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, Dr. José Ramos-Horta, has congratulated the more than 250 United Nations Volunteers (UNVs) from 70 countries working with the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), who assisted throughout the electoral process in April, May and June of this year.

The UNMIT UNVs served as elections advisers in Dili and the Districts working with the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE) on logistics, voter registration, voter education and training. They also worked with the National Elections Commission (CNE) in its supervisory role. On Election Day, the UNVs were on the ground throughout the country to help ensure the smooth flow of the process.

At an award ceremony held on 18 July at the UNMIT Headquarters in Dili, President Horta said "the role played by the UNVs was crucial to the success of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Timor-Leste."

He acknowledged that the UNVs worked without the same material benefits of other colleagues and said "your genuine commitment is a true testament of the ideas and ideals of the United Nations."

The Special Representative for Timor-Leste, Mr. Atul Khare, thanked the UNVs for their dedication, commitment and devotion, saying "you have gone far beyond your call of duty in a true spirit of volunteerism." "You were the backbone of this operation and you have made the UN proud," he added.

During the ceremony, the UNVs were awarded with certificates of appreciation for their hard work. A special award was also presented to Mr. Steven Wagenseil, Chief of the UNMIT Electoral Section, for his leadership throughout the process.

The award ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Special Representative, Mr. Finn Reske-Nielsen, the CNE President, Mr. Faustino Cardoso Gomes, the STAE Director, Mr. Tomas Cabral, and other UNMIT officials.

UNMIT was mandated through Security Council Resolution 1704 among other things, to "support Timor-Leste in all aspects of the 2007 presidential and parliamentary electoral process, including through technical and logistical support, electoral policy advice and verification or other means."