Brussels, 28/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - At the behest of the Ugandan authorities, the European Union will provide observers at the elections scheduled to take place on 18 February. A team of long-term observers is currently being deployed to assist the core team, which has been on the ground since mid-January, under the leadership of Edward Scicluna (S&D, Malta). Short-term observers will travel out a few days before voting in the presidential and general elections. On Friday 28 January, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said: “The forthcoming elections are important, not only for Uganda but also for the region. They are only the second multi-party elections to have taken place in Uganda since the National Resistance Movement came to power in 1986”. Hence her “strong hope that the Ugandan people will be able to express themselves freely”. (A.N./transl.rt)