Following an invitation from the Government of the Republic of Ghana, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlaimini-Zuma, has approved the deployment of a long-term election observation mission to Ghana’s 7 December 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections. The mission will be deployed on 20 October and will remain until the announcement of final results.

The LTO mission comprised 4 core team analysts and 10 long-term observers from eleven African countries: Cameroon, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The AU observers are mandated to observe, assess and report on the electoral preparations and other developments in the country at national and regional levels. The aim is to provide an impartial assessment and, where relevant, recommend ways for improvement.

The deployment of an AU long-term observation mission to Ghana is in line with the aspirations and goals of Agenda 2063, particularly Aspiration No. 3, which aims to deepen democratic values and practices, build confidence in electoral processes, and ensure capable and accountable institutions and transformative leadership on the continent, as enshrined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

“The deployment of an AU long-term election observation mission to Ghana reflects our desire and aspiration for an Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law in all of our member states”, said H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. “We want to ensure that free, fair and credible conduct of elections will be the norm on the continent by 2023, and at least 7 out of 10 persons in every member state of the Union will perceive democratic processes and institutions as accountable and relevant. That’s why we are now embarking on long-term assessment of member states electoral processes, amongst other initiatives of the Union”, Dr. Zuma continues.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

The long-term observation mission will conduct its work in an independent, nonpartisan and professional manner in accordance with applicable national laws and international standards for election observation as set forth in the AU Guidelines for Election Observation and Monitoring Missions and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. 

The findings of the LTO mission will be made public in the form of press statements that will be issued by the Head of Mission in a press conference in Accra and posted in the AUC website: http://au.int/en/pa#

For more information about the mission and its activities, please contact the Mission Coordinator: Mr. Idrissa Kamara, email: kamarai@africa-union.org.

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms. Esther Tankou, Email: yamboue@africa-union.org, Head of Information Division, Director of Information and Communication, African Union Commission.