The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

At an April 29 briefing, Ambassador Boden discussed the political situation in Georgia in the aftermath of last year’s conflict with the Russian Federation.

Ambassador Boden served as head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the January 2008 presidential election and UN Special Representative of the Secretary General in Abkhazia from 1999 to 2002. During the briefing, he offered insights on Georgia’s democratic development and policy recommendations for the future.

Representatives of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) visited NDI on May 21 to discuss the Forum’s work in Nigeria and areas of potential cooperation with the Institute. Topics discussed included: electoral reform, fiscal transparency and the important role played by state governments in Nigeria’s democratic development. The bipartisan delegation featured four Nigerian governors: Kwara State Gov. Bukola Saraki - chairman of the NGF; Bauchi State Gov. Isa Yuguda; Edo State Gov. Adams Oshiomhole; and Akwa-Ibom State Gov. Godswill Akpabio.

Tunisia will hold presidential and parliamentary elections in October 2009. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, currently serving a fourth term after amending the constitution in 2004 to permit his candidacy, has pledged that the elections will be held in a transparent, democratic manner and will be monitored by independent observers from “international bodies” that have yet to be specified.