The European Union (EU) has announced that it will be deploying a 78-man Election Observer Mission (EOM) to Sierra Leone for the upcoming June 24 general elections. This move comes after the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone invited the EU to ensure that the elections are transparent, credible, and peaceful.
Continuing its long-term commitment to supporting competitive, transparent, and peaceful elections in Sierra Leone, the EU has sent EOMs to the country on several occasions. The EU observers previously participated in Sierra Leone’s general elections in 2018, 2012, 2007, and 2002, and also conducted an Election Follow-up Mission in 2021.
The Chief Observer of the 2023 EU EOM to Sierra Leone will be Evin Incir, a Member of the European Parliament. Incir expressed his great sense of responsibility and commitment to engaging with various electoral stakeholders, stating, “I trust that state authorities, political parties, and candidates will play their part in promoting inclusive, credible, and peaceful elections.”
The EU EOM to Sierra Leone will consist of various groups of observers who will arrive on different dates. The Core Team, which will consist of 10 election experts, will arrive in Freetown on May 11, 2023. Long-term observers, totaling 28, will join the mission on May 20 and will be deployed across the country to follow the election campaign. The mission will also include 40 short-term observers, as well as up to ten locally recruited short-term observers, who will reinforce the mission on election day. The EU EOM will remain in the country until the completion of the entire electoral process.
The EU EOM will follow the EU methodology on election observation, which involves issuing a preliminary statement and holding a press conference in Freetown after the election day. A final report, including recommendations for future electoral processes, will be presented after the completion of the entire electoral process.
Through the deployment of an EOM to Sierra Leone, the EU reaffirms its commitment to strengthening democracy in the country. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, stated that the final report produced by the EU EOM will be an essential contribution to Sierra Leone’s efforts and aspirations to strengthen its democracy.
