Next Century Foundation work on Iraq

The Next Century Foundation recently sent a fact-finding mission to Iraq to appraise the electoral issues in the country in anticipation of the forthcoming provincial elections.

The Next Century Foundation are the only team of election observers from the international community operating in red zone Iraq.

Specific objectives of the NCF trip were:

• To assess the KRG position towards the current political configuration in Iraq and the effect the tension between the Kurds and the central government will have on the local elections.

• To evaluate the extent to which the sectarian and ethnic affiliations will dominate the elections.

• To assess the political situation in Southern Iraq and the effects the developments since 2005 will have on the January local elections.

The delegation visited Dohuk, Arbil, Sinjar and the Ninevah Plain, Kirkuk, Baghdad, Babil, Najaf, Karbala. Members of the delegation included the Hon Ambassador Mark G. Hambley (Trustee), Mr William Morris (Secretary General of the Next Century Foundation), Mr Ranj Alaaldin (Research Officer, Next Century Foundation) and Miss Elizabeth Durnford (Research Director, Next Century Foundation).