The EU Chief observer, who also played a similar role during Sudan’s April 2010 general elections, further lauded the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) and its south-based referendum bureau for the vital role they played in the timely organizing of the referendum vote.

Overall, the EU has deployed some 104 observers and analysts from the 27 different EU member states, as well as Norway, Switzerland and Canada. The EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) is also joined by a delegation of 7 members of the European Parliament.