Ranjit Singh, assistant professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington, will travel to Afghanistan as a member of an invited delegation of foreign policy experts who will observe the Afghanistan presidential and provincial elections on August 20.
The delegation is organized by Democracy International, a network based in Bethesda, Md., that designs, evaluates, implements and provides technical assistance for democracy and governance programs worldwide. The Afghanistan election observation mission is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“The invitation to join the international observer delegation is a very welcome honor,” said Singh, an accredited international election observer who leaves for Afghanistan on August 14. “These elections are extremely important for Afghans, the state-building process and the future of U.S. policy in the region.”
Singh is no stranger to overseeing democratic elections abroad. He has been an invited member of observer delegations during the elections in South Africa and Namibia in 1994, Bangladesh in 1996, Liberia in 1997 and the Gaza Strip in 1996, 2005 and 2006.
The security situation in Afghanistan differs from most other elections he has observed.
“Consequently, these elections may be more about establishing a democratic routine than achieving technical perfection,” Singh said. “That’s why it is especially important for foreign observers to be there. Observers will certainly watch and report on the integrity of the voting and counting processes.
But they also signify support for Afghan democracy and international unity against extremists who seek to deny Afghans their political rights.”
Singh received a bachelor’s degree in political science from UMW, a master’s degree in Arab studies from Georgetown University and a doctorate from the University of Virginia. While living for seven years in the Middle East, he helped design and implement democracy programs in support of the 1996 Palestinian elections. He also managed offices in the Occupied Territories, consulted regularly with senior Palestinian and Israeli officials, served as a consultant for a member of the ruling family in Bahrain and worked as an Arabic-English translator in Washington, D.C.
Singh has given numerous presentations and has written many scholarly articles about foreign policy in the Middle East. He is the 2007 recipient of UMW’s Giving Tree Award for outstanding faculty or staff.