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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Organization of American States (OAS)
The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, and the Permanent Representative of Panama, Salvador Sánchez, today signed the agreement on privileges and immunities for the Electoral Observation Mission to the May 5 general elections. After signing the agreement, Ambassador Sanchez stressed that "for all the countries of the hemisphere, the visits of the OAS Electoral Observation Missions over the last 50 years have always been important. To say that it is something valuable is an understatement; it has definitely been instrumental in guaranteeing electoral democracy in our countries and we know that this service will surely continue to be carried out with the same commitment as it always has been." Secretary General Almagro, for his part, highlighted "the positive signal indicated by the invitation of Panama to the OAS Mission to observe the May 5 general elections." "This invitation is a sign of Panama's commitment to improving its electoral systems," added the Secretary General. The Mission will be led by the former President of Colombia, Andrés Pastrana and will include specialists in electoral organization and technology, political financing, women's political participation, electoral justice, freedom of expression and social media, voting abroad, and the participation of indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples. The OAS has deployed Electoral Observation Missions in Panamá since 1978, and has observed 8 electoral processes. Among them, the 2009 elections and the general elections of 2014.
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