The United Nations has agreed to monitor next month's legislative and presidential elections in Sudan, the country's election watchdog said Thursday.
General Electoral Commission Chairman Abdel Monim al-Zain al-Nahas told reporters that he had received a message from the United Nations accepting an invitation to supervise the elections from December 11-20.
An advance UN delegation would arrive in Khartoum from Geneva Friday to examine electoral preparations that began October 25, he added.
He added that representatives of member states of the non-aligned movement at UN headquarters in New York had shown a willingness to take part in the monitoring.
The UN decision to monitor the vote follows a similar one by the Arab League.
The GEC has also extended invitations to the Organization of African Unity, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the European Union and other organizations to supervise balloting.
The vote to elect Sudan's president and members of parliament will start on December 11 and run for 10 days, with results to be announced on December 24.
Some Sudanese opposition groups have charged that the elections will be rigged while others say the government should concentrate on finding a peaceful end to 17 years of civil war before organizing elections – KHARTOUM (AFP)
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