ECOWAS Deploys Election Observers for the Re-Run Presidential Election in Guinea Bissau, meets the Two Candidates

By Bakary Ceesay

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.

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 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.

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.