The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) have announced the arrival of their joint election observation mission for the October 25 presidential election in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
The joint mission aims to observe the electoral campaign, the voting process, and the vote counting on election day. The mission will remain in Côte d’Ivoire until October 29, according to a joint communiqué issued by both electoral observation missions.
At the invitation of the Ivorian authorities, ECOWAS President Omar Alieu Touray and AU Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf deployed the joint election observation mission to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
The mission is composed of 251 short-term observers — 187 from ECOWAS and 66 from the AU — representing the geographical and institutional diversity of the continent. The observers come from 28 African countries and include experts in electoral administration, gender issues, conflict management, security, legal and constitutional matters, and media.
The mission is led by Professor Oluyemi Oluleki Osinbajo, former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, supported by Baboucar Blaise Jagne, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia, and Mahamat Saleh Annadif, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chad.
It is further strengthened by the presence of Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security; Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security; Professor Babacar Kanté, Chair of the AU Panel of the Wise; and Ambassador Babacar Carlos Mbaye, member of the ECOWAS Council of the Wise.
The mandate of the joint mission is based on various ECOWAS and AU instruments relating to democratic elections, as well as international principles governing election observation and monitoring missions.
As part of its mandate, the mission will meet with Ivorian authorities, political actors, electoral management bodies, and the various parties and candidates involved in the presidential election process.
Following its observations, the joint mission will issue its preliminary statement on October 27.
