Indonesia, Australia and Japan, past co-chairs of the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF), have organized an Election Visits Program on the occasion of the presidential, national and local elections in the Philippines on May 10, 2010.
The Second Bali Democracy Forum (BDF II) issued a Chair's Statement which ‘ recommended activities...in priority areas of cooperation, including workshops and seminars, training, election visits, policy-oriented research, and field studies.' The Election Visits Program is part of our collective efforts to give effect to this recommendation.
Diplomats from the Embassies of Australia, Indonesia and Japan have already been accredited as foreign observers by the Philippine Commission on Elections.
We thank the Government of the Republic of the Philippines for its willingness and openness to accept this Election Visits Program during the 2010 elections.
We believe the Election Visits Program will prove to be a useful way to share experiences of democracy in Asia. It would also be useful to build on this experience and conduct an expanded version of the BDF Election Visits Program in future elections where host countries in Asia are willing to receive such visits. BDF participating countries are encouraged to consider conducting similar programs in the future.
Institute for Peace and Democracy
Embassy of Australia
Embassy of Indonesia
Embassy of Japan
Manila, 10 May 2010
