Addis Ababa, 22 September 2016: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has approved the deployment of the African Union Short-Term Observation (STO) Mission to the Presidential Election in the Republic of Cape Verde scheduled for 2 October 2016. The STOs are expected in Praia, Cape Verde, on 24 September 2016 and will remain in the country until 6 October 2016.

The African Union Electoral Observation Mission (AUEOM) will be led by H.E. SE Manuel Serio Nhamajo, former President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau. The mission comprises 20 Short Term Observers (STOs) from the Pan African Parliament, the Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) of the African Union, election management bodies, civil society organizations, think tanks, media and academic institutions. They will be deployed throughout the electoral constituencies of the country to monitor the electoral process and to consult with key stakeholders involved in the electoral process including government and electoral officials, candidates and political parties, civil society representatives and media to provide a critical assessment of the conduct of election.

The Electoral Observation Mission is inspired from relevant African Union and international instruments comprising but not restricted to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the African Union Guidelines for Election Observation and Monitoring Missions, the International Covenant on Civil Political Rights (ICCPR), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the 2005 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation to which the AU is a signatory. This mission is also in the AU’s aim of promoting democratic governance on the continent. In line with the national laws of Cape Verde, this Mission shall contribute to the reinforcement of the democratization process in the country by providing an objective, independent and impartial assessment of the conduct of the elections in line with the aforementioned international and regional best practices and standards.

For more information, please contact:

Karine Kakasi Siaba | Email: Kakasik@africa-union.org  | Democracy and Electoral Assistance Unit (DEAU) | DPA - AUC

For Media information, please contact:

Habiba Benedicta Balaraba Sule | Email:SuleH@africa-union.org | Directorate of Information and Communication | AUC

For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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