With three weeks to go before this country’s General and Regional elections, it has been announced that former Prime Minister of Senegal, Aminata Touré, will play a major role in monitoring the process.

According to the US-based, Carter Center, Touré and Jason J. Carter, chairperson of The Carter Center Board of Trustees, will co-lead the Center’s international election observation mission in Guyana.

“The Carter Center and my grandfather, (US) President (Jimmy) Carter, care deeply about democratic governance in Guyana,” the Chairman said. “This election is an important opportunity for all Guyanese to rise above political divisions, respect democratic principles, and move together toward a brighter future. I look forward to returning to Guyana to observe this important election.”

Meanwhile, Touré said that she is honoured to co-lead the mission. She served as the Prime Minister of Senegal from 1 September 2013 to 4 July 2014: “We hope the election will help move Guyana forward in the spirit of inclusive governance.”

The Carter Center has had a core team and group of long-term observers in Guyana since early January.

Carter and Touré will arrive in the days leading up to the election to meet with key stakeholders — including political party candidates, civil society organizations, government officials, and other international election observer missions, before observing polling, counting, and tabulation on March 2.

The Carter Center is observing Guyana’s general election at the invitation of the government of Guyana. The entity has been coming here since the 1990s.

In 2015, the former US president, 95, was here for the elections but left on an emergency after falling ill. The center has been instrumental in brokering critical agreements on how elections should be run.

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center says it has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care.

The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.

There are a number of other observer missions, including from the European Union delegation.