ECOWAS deploys 70 observers for Re-Run Presidential Election in Guinea Bissau

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has deployed seventy observers for the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (ECOWAS-EOM) to the Re-Run Presidential Election in Guinea Bissau.

This deployment was done yesterday, December 27, 2019, in Bissau, Guinea Bissau ahead of the December 29 Re-Run Presidential Election.

Dr Remi Ajibewa, Director Political Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, in his speech at the opening, expressed the commitment of ECOWAS to accompany Guinea Bissau through the Presidential Elections in line with the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance of 2001.

ECOWAS Head of Mission, H.E. Soumeylou Maiga, with his delegation and Embalo Sissoko, Presidential Candidate of the MADEM-G15 during his solidarity Visits

ECOWAS Head of Mission, H.E. Soumeylou Maiga, with his delegation and Domingos Simoes Pereira, Presidential candidate of the PAIGC, during his solidarity Visits

While thanking the Observers for sacrificing their holidays with families for this important regional assignment, Gen. Francis Awagbe Behanzin, Commissioner Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the ECOWAS Commission, highlighted that ECOWAS as part of electoral assistance programme to the Member States deployed technical experts and financial support to Guinea Bissau.

Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to the Guinea Bissau Re-Run Presidential Election, H.E. Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, and former Prime Minister of the Republic of Mali in his welcome address stressed that ECOWAS is determined to support Guinea Bissau to conduct a credible, peaceful and transparent election.

Cross Section of Observers

Highlighting the achievements of the Mission in the First Round of the Presidential Election, Prime Minister Maiga stressed that the December 29 Re-Run Election is critical and the Observers are in Guinea Bissau to ensure that the election is conducted in a transparent, free and inclusive manner, which respects the standards of ECOWAS.

The Head of ECOWAS Election Observation Mission also paid solidarity visits to the two candidates in the Re-Run Presidential Election, Domingos Simoes Pereira of the PAIGC and Embalo Sissoko of the MADEM-G15.

After deliberations, the candidates all agreed to accept the outcome of the election peacefully and as the will of the people of Guinea Bissau.