ECOWAS Election Observers Deployed to Monitor Togolese Elections

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By: Kebba AF Touray

The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under the Presidency of Dr. Omar A. Touray said they have deployed an Observation Mission of forty election observers to the Republic of Togo, to monitor legislative and regional elections of this French speaking West African country scheduled for the 29th of April 2024.

According to the Commission, the election observer mission which is headed by Gambia’s former Vice President, Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang, is in line with the provisions of Article 12 of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, and constitutes support from the regional organisation to Member States during the conduct of elections in these States.

The mission, as explained by the Commission, is made up of Ambassadors from Member States accredited to ECOWAS; representatives of the ECOWAS Court of Justice and Parliament; Civil Society Organisations; media professionals and election observation specialists from the sub-region.

The sub regional Commission adds that the observation mission is being deployed following recommendations of a pre-election fact-finding mission that visited Togo from 15th to 20th April 2024, to assess the preparatory phase; During its stay in Togo, the observer mission will hold consultations with the main stakeholders in the electoral process and will monitor the voting process up to the 29th of April 2024.