105 ECOWAS observers in Benin for upcoming presidential election
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) for the 11 April, 2021, presidential election in Benin will be led by former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma, an official source said here Tuesday.
The EOM, which will be deployed by the West African regional organization under its Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, will have as its main objective to ensure a free, transparent, and credible election in Benin.
It is composed of 105 observers, including 10 long-term observers already present in Cotonou since 23 March 2021, and 80 short-term observers who will come from ECOWAS Member-States (80) with the exception of Benin, the ECOWAS Court of Justice (2), as well as the Community Parliament (13).
The ECOWAS EOM will be supported on the ground by a technical assistance team composed of the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Halima Ahmed, the Director of Political Affairs, Dr. Remi Ajibewa, the Head of the Commission's Electoral Assistance Division, Francis Oke, and other ECOWAS officials, the ECOWAS press release said.
The observers will be deployed throughout the country to observe and monitor all pre-electoral, electoral, and post-electoral operations and to give their opinion on the conduct of the elections.
This observation will focus, in particular, on the regularity, transparency, fairness, and proper conduct of the presidential election.
At the end of the election, the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission will express its opinion and, if necessary, make recommendations to the various stakeholders in the electoral process.
This will be done through a preliminary statement by the head of the mission, Ernest Bai Koroma, at a press conference scheduled after the polls in Cotonou.
-0- PANA TNDD/JSG/SOC/RA 6Apr2021
