Today the EU Election Observation Mission has deployed 16 long-term observers to the regions.
“This election will be a crucial test for The Gambia”, said Deputy Chief Observer Beata Martin-Rozumiłowicz, “The European Union Election Observation Mission will monitor the process impartially and independently. I can ensure that our team of analysts and observers will deliver an objective assessment of the upcoming electoral process.”
The EU EOM arrived in Banjul with a Deputy Chief Observer and Core Team of seven analysts on 27 October 2021. This expert group consists of an election, political, legal, media, social media and data analyst. On 04 November, the team met with the Chairperson, Co-Chairperson and members of the Independent Electoral Commission of The Gambia (IEC). Since then, the EU EOM has had several meetings with Gambian authorities and groups including international organisations, civil society organisations as well as the Delegation of the European Union to The Gambia.
A group of 16 long-term observers (LTOs) joined the EU EOM on 04 November and will be deployed today to all regions of Gambia to follow the electoral preparations and campaign. The EU LTOs come from 15 different Member States of the European Union and Norway. They will stay in The Gambia after election day to follow post-election processes. In addition, 16 short-term observers (STOs) will deploy throughout the country, with Members of the European Parliament, around election day.
“The EU EOM will assess the elections based on international standards and commitments that The Gambia has espoused, together with its national laws. It will focus on the entire electoral process, including an assessment of the legal framework, election administration, voter registration, candidate nomination, campaigning, the media’s role, voting, counting, and tabulations of results, as well as electoral disputes resolution”, explained Deputy Chief Observer Beata Martin-Rozumiłowicz.
All EU EOM observers are bound by a code of conduct, which requires strict neutrality and non-interference. The EU EOM undertakes its work in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. It will publish its initial findings in a preliminary statement, which will be presented in a press conference shortly after election day. A Final Report with concrete recommendations to stakeholders will be presented at a later stage.
The Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) has announced it has successfully completed a nation-wide distribution of audio-visual format of the Draft Constitution to regional authorities and community radios. The four-day exercise lasted from Monday 31st August to Thursday 3rd September, 2020.
Dr. Momodou Tangara, the minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad has recently disclosed to parliamentarians that as a result of the intensity and rapidity of the spread of covid-19, his Ministry is currently engaging its mission in Washington to appeal to the U.S. authorities based on humanitarian grounds for Gambians who are under the custody of the Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) of the United States of America to be temporarily released until such time the threat of covid-19 has been substantially reduced.
The Gambia has registered four new coronavirus recoveries that were discharged.
Gambia Immigration Department (GID) on Friday marked Immigration day at its head office in Banjul.
