EASF Deploys Observers to the Union of Comoros

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EASF HANDS workshop

EASF Deploys Observers to the Union of Comoros

The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) will deploy an election observer mission in the Union of Comoros ahead of the presidential and governors’ elections due on the 24th of March 2019. An EASF advance team is already on the ground.

The mission will comprise of 28 observers from EASF member states and they will cover all three Islands i.e. Anjouan, Moheli and Grande Comore. A former Minister from Seychelles, Mr Jeremie Bonnelame has been appointed as the Head of Mission and a former Minister from Burundi, Lt. General Germai Niyoyankana as the special advisor of the EASF mission.

The election mission was officially launched by the Chairperson of Council of Ministers of Defense and Security for Eastern Africa, Minister Emmanuel Ntahomvukiye at the EASF secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya on 15th March 2019. According to the Director of EASF, Dr. Abdillahi Omar Bohu, the EASF mission has the mandate for independent, impartial and objective observation of elections. Its assessment will be based on relevant provisions of the AU African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance of 2012, the OAU/ AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, other relevant international instruments on election observation as well as national legal framework governing presidential and governors’ elections of the Autonomous Islands of the Union of Comoros.

The assessment will be based on the regularity, transparency, equity and fair conduct of the electoral process.

Photo Gallery: EASF Deploys Observers to the Union of Comoros

An EASF Officer from the Union of Comoros takes the audience through an orientation session
The EASF Officer from Comoros gives an overview of the general approach during the observer mission
The Burundi Minister for National Defence and War Veterans Honorable Emmanuel Ntahomvukiye (left), the EASF Director Dr. Abdillahi Omar Bouh and an Official from Uganda during the Comoros deployment briefing
The Deputy Head of Mission (right) who is also the Head of Civilian Component Mr. Steve Lalande hands over deployment documents to the EASF Director Dr. Abdillahi Omar Bouh
EASF Director Dr. Abdillahi Omar Bouh passes over deployment documents to the Chairperson, Council of Ministers for Defence and Security of the Eastern Africa region who is the Burundi Minister for National Defence and War Veterans, Honorable Emmanuel Ntahomvukiye.