EU/Guinea — European Union Deploys Election Observation Mission

Euro­pean Union Deploys Elec­tion Obser­va­tion Mis­sion for Pres­i­den­tial elec­tions in Guinea on 27 June
An EU Elec­tion Obser­va­tion Mis­sion (EOM) is being deployed for the next pres­i­den­tial elec­tions in the Repub­lic of Guinea sched­uled to take place on 27 June 2010. Led by Mr Alexan­der Lamb­s­dorff, Mem­ber of the Euro­pean Par­lia­ment, the EU EOM is a con­tri­bu­tion by the Euro­pean Union to strength­en­ing democ­ra­ti­za­tion process in The Guinea.

Cather­ine Ash­ton, EU High Rep­re­sen­ta­tive for For­eign Affairs and Secu­ri­ty Policy/ Com­mis­sion Vice-Pres­i­dent said:

“The forth­com­ing pres­i­den­tial elec­tions rep­re­sent a cru­cial oppor­tu­ni­ty in the democ­ra­ti­sa­tion process of Guinea. It is in this con­text that I have decid­ed to accept the invi­ta­tion of the Guinean gov­ern­ment to deploy an EU EOM for the 2010 elec­tions. The role of this EU EOM is to observe whether the elec­tions take place in a trans­par­ent and cred­i­ble man­ner in accor­dance with inter­na­tion­al stan­dards for demo­c­ra­t­ic elections.”

The EU EOM con­sists of a Chief Observ­er and sev­en experts deployed on May 27. 23 long-term observers and 40 short-term observers will be then deployed through­out the coun­try to observe elec­tion pro­ce­dures before, dur­ing and after the elec­tions. The mis­sion will remain in the coun­try until August 2010.

The EU EOM will oper­ate in accor­dance with the “Dec­la­ra­tion of Prin­ci­ples for Inter­na­tion­al Elec­tion Obser­va­tion”, com­mem­o­rat­ed at the Unit­ed Nations in Octo­ber 2005. The EU EOM will stay in the coun­try after the elec­tions to assess the post-elec­tion peri­od. The Euro­pean Com­mis­sion has made avail­able more than € 4.3 mil­lion from the Euro­pean Instru­ment for Democ­ra­cy and Human Rights (EIDHR), for this mission. 

Source:
Coun­cil of the Euro­pean Union