AMMAN — Chairman of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) Musa Maaytah on Friday affirmed the electoral body’s readiness to provide support to Syrian authorities in their efforts to conduct upcoming parliamentary elections.

 

Maaytah made the remarks during a meeting in Amman with Mohammad Ahmad, head of the Higher Committee for Managing Elections to the Syrian People's Assembly, according to a statement from IEC.

 

He described the electoral process as a key step in Syria’s national recovery and efforts to restore stability and dignity to the Syrian people, the statement said.

 

The meeting was held on the sidelines of a regional conference organised by the commission under the title "Digital Transformation in Election Management."

 

Syrians will elect a new People’s Assembly on October 5, the first parliament to be elected since the toppling of Bashar Al Assad late last year.

 

The vote for members of the parliament will take place “across all electoral districts”, according to the state-run SANA news agency.

 

Also on Friday, Maaytah met with Omar Ahmed, head of Iraq’s High Independent Electoral Commission, to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between Jordan and Iraq in election management, exchange of expertise, and joint electoral coordination.

 

The meeting, attended by IEC Commissioner Fattah Jilawi, took place on the sidelines of a regional conference organised by the commission under the theme “Digital Transformation in Election Management.”

 

Maaytah stressed the importance of Iraq resuming its active role in the Arab Organisation for Electoral Management Bodies, noting that it is a founding member. He also highlighted the need for Iraq to contribute to strengthening cooperation, coordination, and institutional development at both the Arab and regional levels, according to an IEC statement.

 

“The Independent Election Commission is ready to place all its technical and administrative expertise at the disposal of its Iraqi counterparts and extend full support within the framework of cooperation to enhance institutional performance in electoral processes,” Maaytah said.

 

For his part, Ahmed commended the role of Jordan’s IEC in advancing joint Arab efforts and fostering continuous coordination among Arab electoral bodies, commending the commission’s achievements in managing electoral processes across the region.

 

Also on Saturday, the IEC participated as an international observer in Georgia’s municipal elections. The elections, which opened Saturday morning and will run until 8:00 pm, involve 3,061 polling stations across the country.

 

Representing the IEC, IT Director Mahmoud Zaben and Internal Audit Director Sultan Qudah assessed the use of advanced technologies in the elections, including electronic voting and ballot counting.

 

Jordan’s participation came in response to an official invitation from Georgia’s Central Election Commission to observe the elections, the IEC said.