Donors urge Afghan candidates to cooperate with recount and audit process

The call comes as several candidates have boycotted the process, citing concerns about manipulation of the outcome in favour of a particular team.
The Election Support Group, which consists of key donors including European countries, the United States and UN, in a statement called upon candidates and their supporters to support the remaining phases of the process.
“Noting the many valid concerns expressed by candidates and their supporters about the vote tallying process, the ESG reiterates its previous call for all candidates to respect the Election Law and the Code of Conduct they signed and to refrain from any actions or statements that undermine the process,” the statement said.
The group said that candidates should follow the formal Electoral Complaints Commission’s complaints process to raise their concerns about the alleged irregularities.
It also urged the Independent Election Commission to answer clearly and in a timely manner concerns raised by candidates about the process.
ESG urged IEC to work diligently to keep further delays to preliminary results to a minimum.
It urged the electoral bodies to provide “accurate and timely information to the public about election results and the auditing process, including clarifying for the candidates, public and electoral stakeholders the criteria used to order such audits and recounts, and the expected timeframe to announce preliminary and certified results.”