Ritika Pratap 
Candidate posters for Vanuatu’s January 16 election can be seen in front of an earthquake-damaged building in Port Vila Vanuatu, Monday, January 13, 2025. Australia's regional security ambitions are on the ballot this week in Vanuatu, where voters will elect a fresh government in the wake of political turmoil and a major earthquake. [Source: AAP Image/Ben Mckay]
The Pacific Islands Forum has deployed an Election Observer Mission to observe the Vanuatu snap election that will be held today.
The Election Observer team is led by Ambassador of the Marshall Islands to Fiji and the Pacific, Junior Aini.
Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa has welcomed the opportunity for the Forum to observe the election and commends the Vanuatu Government and Electoral Management Body for inviting international and domestic observer missions to attend.
Waqa says Vanuatu has consistently encouraged observer missions to report on its national elections, even as the nation is rebuilding from the recent earthquake.
He adds that it is heartening to see Vanuatu’s continued resilience and determination to ensure that a strong democratic process delivers a successful result.
The Forum Election Observer Team will observe polling on election day, and the count.
Forum Election Observer Missions are conducted under the Biketawa Declaration 2000, which is the cornerstone of the Forum Leaders’ commitment to good governance.
