As Guinea-Bissau’s estimated 2.2 million people eagerly await the results of Sunday’s keenly contested parliamentary and presidential elections, the Heads of International Observation Missions have enjoined all stakeholders to remain calm and abide by the country’s electoral laws and constitution.
At their post-election meeting in Bissau to compare notes on Monday, 24th November, the Heads of the International Election Observation Mission shared information from their field observers deployed across the regions and administrative sectors.
After various interventions, they reached the conclusion that the electoral process was generally peaceful and orderly.
The meeting co-chaired by the Head of ECOWAS Observation Mission, Ambassador Baba Kamara and his African Union counterpart HE Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, was also attended by the West African Elders’ Forum led by its Chair and Convener, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, accompanied by former ECOWAS Commission President Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Head of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) Observation Mission, Lt.-Gen. Luis Diogo de Carvalho, his g7+ counterpart Christina Mitini, and representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (IOC).
According to preliminary results from various polling units, the two front-runners, incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who is seeking re-election, and an independent candidate, Fernando Dias, were leading in their respective strongholds.
The National Electoral Commission, CNE, the body authorized by the constitution to announce the official results, has between seven and ten days to declare the final results, to be certified by the Supreme Court of Justice, serving as the Constitutional Court.
Twelve candidates contested for the presidency in the election to also choose the country’s 102 members of Parliament.
Supporters of the two front-runners are already claiming victory; however, the Heads of International Observation Missions, at their meeting, urged caution during ongoing collation and announcement of results, which they described as a critical stage of the electoral process.
They also called for the timely release of the results to avoid tension and prevent rumour and fake news.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, at a separate meeting with Principal Officers of the ECOWAS Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMB), urged the 489-strong personnel to remain impartial and faithful to their core mandate of protecting democratic institutions and not individuals.
He told the Force Commander, Brig.-Gen. Edward OJabo, and the Principal Staff, that the Mission’s presence has helped to mitigate the fragility and uncertainty of the political ecosystem, adding that ECOWAS remained committed to accompanying Guinea-Bissau through a critical juncture in its political history.
The Force Commander and his colleagues listed the Mission’s challenges to the Commissioner, including inadequate operational vehicles, logistics and accommodation needs, fuel supply, marine assets (speed boats) for the patrol of riverine areas, modern Computers, sourcing of essential drugs and strengthening of the military hospital to support the civilian population.
They also mentioned the need for Security Sector Reform, which will involve more training for personnel of the country’s armed forces.
On behalf of the Commission’s President, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, Ambassador Musah expressed ECOWAS’ gratitude to the officers, men and women of ESSMB for their sacrifices to the community, and promised that the critical needs of the ECOWAS Missions in Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia would be addressed in the Commission’s next annual budget.
He noted that ECOWAS was targeting an initial Brigade of 1,650 troops as part of an envisaged 5,000-strong regional Standby Force against terrorism and insurgencies fuelling insecurity in the region.
Ambassador Musah was accompanied to the meeting at the ESSMB Bissau headquarters by the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Guinea-Bissau, Ambassador Ngozi Ukaeje, Mr Ebenezer Asiedu, the Head of ECOWAS Democracy and Good Governance Division, and some ECOWAS Observers of Guinea-Bissau’s just-concluded legislative and presidential elections.##
