Djibouti, 19 February 2018 – H.E Mr. Anicet-Georges Dologuélé, former Prime Minister of the Central African Republic and Head of the Election Observation Mission of the African Union (AU) to the legislative elections of February 23, 2018 in the Republic of Djibouti, officially presided today, at the opening ceremony of the training workshop organised by the Department of Political Affairs of the AU prior to the elections. The Head of Mission began by welcoming the members of the Observers Mission and recalled that the AU is very interested to see that they get the right knowledge to enable them carry out their work successfully so as to ensure a transparent, free and fair election during the upcoming legislative election scheduled for 23 February 2018 in Djibouti.

H.E Dologuélé, recalled that the AU Mission able to participate to this elections thanks to the authorized by H. E Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) who is kin to ensuring that the election is undertaken successfully and in conformity with the provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which entered into force on 15 February 2012, among other legal instruments of the AU. He informed the participants that the AU Mission consists of 38 Observers derived from 22 African countries before giving the floor to the Coordinator of the technical team of the AU elections observation, Ms. Karine Kakasi Siaba, from the Democracy and Electoral Assistance Unit of the Department of Political Affairs to present the agenda of the entire Mission during the pre and post electoral process in Djibouti.

The AU Head of Mission further announced to the participants that observers will be deployed to all the regions of Djibouti to ensure that they give full coverage of the legislative election throughout the national territory. For that reason he commended the in imitative by the African Union to dedicate training sessions aimed at building the capacity of the observers and providing them with the tools to facilitate their work during the observation exercise on the day of the election.

“The AU Mission will deploy its observers to all the regions and districts of the country, namely: Djibouti, Arta, Wea, Obock, Alaili Dadda, Tadjourah, Randa, Dorra, Balho, Ali Sabieh, Assamo, Dikhil, Yoboki and As Eyla”, he emphasized. He also announced that, after the February 23 elections, the AU Observers Mission will hold a press conference on Monday, February 26, 2018 during which it will present its preliminary report highlighting its observations and recommendations.

The training of the AU Election Observers Mission today included a background presentation of the political context of the February 23 Legislative election in Djibouti; the concept of observation as opposed to supervision and monitoring of the elections; the electoral cycle; the state of preparations and perspectives, presented by the the Independent National Electoral Commission dubbed (CENI) and the security situation prevailing in the country presented by the Representatives from the Ministry of National Security.

Worth noting that, the AU Election Observers Mission to Djibouti has established its headquarters and secretariat at the Sheraton Hotel. The members of the Mission Secretariat can be reached at +253 77 27 30 48.

For any other information, please contact:

Karine Kakasi Siaba: +253 77 27 30 48

Email: Kakasik@africa-union.org

Democracy and Electoral Assistance Unit (DEAU)

Department of Political Affairs | Commission of the African Union

For media information, please contact:

Esther Azaa Tankou: +253 77 43 43 35

E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org

Directorate of Information and Communication | Commission of the African Union

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