JOINT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER MEDIA STATEMENT
2015 Autonomous Bougainville Government Election
An international observer group has finished observing the 2015 Autonomous Region of Bougainville’s election, following an invitation from the Papua New Guinea and Autonomous Bougainville Governments. International observers were present across North, Central and South Bougainville throughout the polling, sorting and counting periods of the election. The group included representatives from Australia, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Following on from the 22 May joint international observer media statement on the peaceful polling period, international observers have witnessed a counting process that was conducted with integrity. The presence of candidate scrutineers, domestic and international observers, and the general public strengthened the transparency of the counting process. Counting teams worked very hard and election officials were diligent in following quality checking processes that minimised errors.
We congratulate the people of Bougainville, the Office of the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner, election officials and the police for the successful conduct of the 2015 Bougainville Election. We also congratulate the newly elected president and parliamentary members of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, who we wish well in representing the people of Bougainville over their five year term.