Brussels, 20/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 13 April, the European Union will observe the general and presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau, thereby responding to the request made by the electoral commission of this western African country, the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on Wednesday 19 March. The European observers will analyse all stages of the election process, which represents a critical moment in Guinea-Bissau's return to constitutional order.
The central hub of the election observation mission of the EU (EOM-EU), led by MEP Krzystof Lisek (EPP, Poland), is already in place in Bissau, the capital city, to coordinate the whole mission.
16 long-term observers, who will be responsible for following the election preparation work, will be dispatched to the country on 24 March. A week before the elections, on 7 April, 24 short-term observers will arrive to assist them. A delegation of members of the European Parliament will also be taking part in the election observation mission.
EOM-EU will work with international observers from missions of the African Union and ECOWAS. Following the elections, EOM-EU will present a preliminary statement at a press conference in Bissau. Once it has observed the final counting of the votes and any challenges to the results, if there are any, the mission will present its final report, which will contain a more in-depth assessment and detailed recommendations for future elections, one to two months after the official results are announced. (AN)