AYV News, October 13, 2023

The Chief Observer of the European Union Observer Mission and Member of the EU Parliament, Evin Incir, has submitted the Report of the EU Observer Mission to Sierra Leone on the conduct of the June 24 multi-tier elections to the Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu.

Submitting the Report, she said 104 short and long term EU Observers were sent to Sierra Leone before, during and after the conduct of the elections on 24 June. Speaking on a follow-up mission to implement their electoral recommendations, she said the main pillars in the Report include transparency, inclusion and accountability.

Assuring of EU’s continued work and support to different institutions in Sierra Leone, she acknowledged Sierra Leone for maintaining democratic stability unlike what was happening in Burkina Faso and other countries in the region.

Responding, the Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu thanked EU Observer Mission for being part of the electoral process in the country, and assured them that Parliament will read the Report critically and look through its recommendations and give them the attention they deserve.

He recalled that recommendations from previous EU Observer Missions had received similar treatment and where appropriate they were legislated into law consistent with the provisions of the Constitution. Similarly the same approach would be applied to the current EU Report in Parliament working in collaboration with the Executive.

He acknowledged that no electoral process in the world was perfect or without challenges including even the most advanced countries as currently being exemplified in the United States where a former President and Team were facing criminal charges for alleged electoral misconduct.

He thanked the Chief Observer of the EU Observer Mission to Sierra Leone for recognising Sierra Leone as a pillar of stability and added that Sierra Leone was also generally accepted as a shining example of democratic governance in the region.