Photo: D. Hakes/Carter Center Photos

A man has his finger dipped in indelible ink after voting (file photo).

Djibouti's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) last week held its first plenary session in which officials presented the commission's mission and structures, Djibouti's La Nation reported Sunday (February 10th).

CENI President Abdi Ismail Hersi opened the session by calling on all participants to preserve their impartiality and professional conduct as the February 22nd legislative elections approach. Electoral campaigning officially began on Friday.

"It is not easy to conduct an election as important as the one we will have in three weeks in an effective, efficient and equitable manner," he said. "What I want to tell you dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, is to put aside our feelings, our emotions, our differences and work together under the law to lay the foundation for the democratic process in our country."

CENI Vice President Kadir Abdullah Youssouf and CENI Administrative Secretariat Executive Director Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed detailed the tasks and processes the commission will undertake during the elections. Procedures will be reinforced during two further plenaries, scheduled for February 20th, two days before the voting begins, and February 24th, the second day of voting.