David Reimer, the United States (US) Ambassador to Sierra Leone, has urged political party leaders to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the 2023 elections.
Ambassador Reimer emphasised the importance of free, fair, peaceful, and multiparty elections for Sierra Leone’s stability, while urging the youth of Sierra Leone to follow suit and conduct themselves peacefully.
The Ambassador said: “As elections draw closer, the US Embassy urges all political parties to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner.
“We believe that free, fair and peaceful multi-party elections are crucial for the development and stability of Sierra Leone and so we urge all candidates to prioritise their commitment to the democratic process by refraining from any action that may incite violence or any form of unrest.
“We encourage all parties and their supporters to engage in peaceful dialogue throughout the elections period. To the citizens, and in particular the young people, we are calling on you to exercise your right to vote in the June 24th elections in a peaceful manner. Voting is a collection action that promotes national unity.”
The Carter Center recently launched an international election observation mission to Sierra Leone in advance of the country’s national elections scheduled for June 24.
The Center was invited to observe this year’s elections by the Election Commission of Sierra Leone (EC-SL).
A four-person core team of experts has arrived in Freetown from the United States, Poland, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. Additional electoral experts and medium-term observers from around the world will join them in advance of the campaign period, followed by short-term observers and high-level leadership around election day.
“We look forward to engaging with Sierra Leonean stakeholders across the political spectrum and providing an independent and impartial assessment of the electoral process. We hope that our observation and reporting will provide important information to Sierra Leonean citizens, key recommendations to stakeholders, and help uphold transparency for the remainder of the electoral process,” said Carter Center Field Office Director Nicholas Jahr.
“The Carter Center has had a longstanding commitment to democracy in Sierra Leone, and we are honored to launch this International Election Observation Mission in support of the electoral process,” said Barbara J. Smith, the Carter Center’s vice president for peace programs.
The Carter Center conducts election observation work in accordance with the 2005 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and makes assessments based on relevant parts of national legal frameworks as well as regional and international obligations for democratic elections.
The Carter Center has been a force for peace in Sierra Leone since 2002, when it observed the first presidential and parliamentary elections following the end of Sierra Leone’s devastating civil war. Since then, The Carter Center has played a role in the country’s 2007, 2012, and 2018 national elections.
