BY MARILYN KING (232news.com)
The European Union (EU) has launched the Election Observation Mission to Sierra Leone, this was held at the Raddison Blu in Freetown.
Speaking to the media the, European Union, Chief Observer, and member of the European Parliament, Evin Incir, said in response to an invitation by the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone, the European Union has deployed an EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) for the general elections scheduled for 24 June 2023.
She furthered that the EU EOM, led by Her the Chief Observer started its activities in Freetown on 11th May with the arrival of a core team of 10 election experts.
“l am honored to lead the EU Election Observation Mission to Sierra Leone, a country that has an important role to play in West Africa region as well as on a global scale. We will conduct our observation in a strictly impartial manner,”
She stated that this week the EU EOM will deploy 28 long-term observers to cover all 16 districts in Sierra Leone.
She furthered that they will observe for example the election preparations, the election campaign and the activities of electoral stakeholders.
She said closer to Election Day, 40 short-term observers will join the EU EOM to observe the voting, counting and tabulation of the results.
In addition, a delegation of members of the European Parliament and approximately 10 locally recruited short-term observers from the diplomatic missions of EU member states accredited to Sierra Leone will also Join the EU EOM to observe the election day proceedings.
She maintained that at full strength the EU EOM will comprise some 100 observers drawn from 26 European Union Member states, Canada and Norway.
“Our aim in Sierra Leone is to support democratic consolidation, However, it is a joint responsibility of all political parties, candidates, civil society organizations, the media, and the electoral administration to maintain a peaceful pre-election, environment in which fundamental rights and freedoms of all Sierra Leoneans respected,” she maintained.
She furthered that the EU EOM will issue a preliminary statement and hold a press conference in Freetown two days after the elections.
She noted that the mission will remain in Sierra Leone until the completion of the electoral process, including in case of a second round of the presidential election.
She continued that the EU EOM is bound by a code of conduct, which requires strict neutrality and non-interference.
She furthered that it undertakes its work in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, endorsed under the United Nations (UN) auspices in 2005.
She concluded that the mission’s mandate is to observe all aspects of the electoral process and assess the extent to which the elections comply with Sierra Leone’s laws as well as with regional and international standards and commitments Sierra Leone has made regarding democratic elections.
