EU deploys an Election Observation Mission to Senegal
At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Senegal, the EU has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the presidential election that will take place on 24 February 2019.
Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, has appointed Elena Valenciano, Member of the European Parliament, as Chief Observer.
On the occasion, High Representative / Vice President Federica Mogherini said: “The European Union is committed to supporting Senegal in consolidating its democratic institutions. I am confident that the assessment by our European Election Observation Mission under the leadership of Elena Valenciano will make an important contribution not only to the upcoming elections but also to future elections in the framework of our close and continued dialogue and partnership with Senegal.”
Elena Valenciano added, “Deploying this Election Observation Mission demonstrates the strength of the EU-Senegal partnership and the importance of our common work in consolidating democracy and good governance. It also represents the continuity of our contribution to the observation of the previous Senegalese presidential electoral process held in 2012.”
A core team of nine electoral analysts has arrived in Dakar on 15 January 2019. A total of 56 long-term observers will be deployed in the country. On the day of the vote, the EOM will have a total of more than 100 observers from various EU Members States, Switzerland and Norway. The Mission will analyse all stages of the electoral process.
The EU EOM operates in a fully independent and neutral manner.
Background
The EOM’s observers are obliged to abide by a code of conduct which satisfies international election observation standards and the legal and regulatory provisions in force in Senegal. The mandate of the EOM is to observe and analyse the entire electoral process in order to carry out an impartial, neutral and objective assessment. This analysis is based on the national and international standards and undertakings in the field of democratic elections which have been endorsed by Senegal.
Once the polls close, the EOM will publicly present a preliminary statement setting out its initial conclusions on the electoral process. A comprehensive analytical report will subsequently be published several weeks after the presidential elections. That report will include recommendations with a view to the forthcoming elections