Addis Ababa, 12 July 2018: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Moussa Faki Mahatma, has appointed H.E. Thomas Yayi Boni, the former President of the Republic of Benin to lead the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to the Republic of Mali.

H. E. Yayi Boni is expected to lead a 55-member African Union Observers who would be deployed in Mali from the 21 July to 4 August 2018. While in Mali, the Head of Mission of the AUEOM will interact with electoral stakeholders and other observer missions towards ensuring transparent, credible and peaceful election.

The objectives of the AUEOM are to: (a) provide an accurate and impartial reporting or assessment of the quality of the 29 July 2018 Presidential Election, including the degree to which the conduct of the election meets regional, continental and international standards; (b) offer recommendations for improvement of future elections based on the its observation and findings; and (c) demonstrate African Union’s commitment to support Mali’s democratisation process to ensure that the election contributes to the consolidation of democratic governance, peace and stability.

The AUEOM draws its mandate from various African Union instruments, including (a) the African Union Guidelines for Electoral Observation and Monitoring Missions (2002); (b) the OUA/AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa (2002); African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (1981) and (c) African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007), among others.

For more information, contact:
Mr. Samuel Atuobi, Senior Political/Elections Officer, Department of Political Affairs, African Union Commission (atuobis@africa-union.org).

Ms. Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Information - Directorate of Information and Communication- E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org

Directorate of Information and Communication | Commission of the African Union
E-mail: dinfo@africanunion.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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