EU Election Observation Mission for Guinea Bissau

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The European Commission has deployed an EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the presidential election in Guinea Bissau scheduled to take place on 19 June. The EU EOM is led by Johan Van Hecke, Member of the European Parliament, who is arriving today in Bissau. The EOM is a further contribution by the European Commission to supporting peace and democratisation in Guinea Bissau.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, said: "The forthcoming presidential election is crucial to the future of democracy in Guinea Bissau. I have therefore decided to deploy an Election Observation Mission, headed by Johan Van Hecke, to assess whether it is conducted in a transparent and genuinely democratic manner in line with international standards for democratic elections. I trust that through its long-term presence across the country the mission will help to strengthen public confidence in this vital process".

The presidential election will mark the end of the transition period agreed by political parties following the coup d'état in September 2003. As a consequence of the coup, the EU opened consultations under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement. These were concluded in September 2004, when the EU decided to normalise relations and co-operation, while monitoring progress in a number of areas, including the conduct of the presidential election.

A core team of eight election experts arrived in Bissau this week, to be joined by 20 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country to follow the campaign period and pre-election preparations. A total of 60 short-term observers will arrive just before election day to observe voting, counting and the tabulation of results. The election will be assessed against international standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

In addition to committing up to €1.5 million costs of the EOM (plus a further €1.5 million in reserve in case a second round is required) from the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), a contribution of €1.5 million is being provided by the European Development Fund (EDF) towards the cost of organising these elections.

EU aid to Guinea Bissau

Apart from the support to the elections via the EIDHR, the EU funds allocated to Guinea Bissau for 2002-2007 through the 9th EDF amount to more than €80 million. In addition to the EDF funds, a €7.26 million fisheries compensation is annually paid to the country from the EU budget.

For additional information, see also:

EU Election Assistance & Observation:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/eu_election_ass_observ/index.htm

European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/eidhr/index_en.htm

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• EU Commission Major Contributor to International Election Monitoring (27/10/2005)
• Statement by Amb. Valenzuela, Head of EU Commission Delegation to UN, at Ceremony for International Election Observation (27/10/2005)
• EU Presidency Declaration on Guinea-Bissau (19/9/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement on elections in Guinea-Bissau (1/8/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - ECOSOC: Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea Bissau (18/7/2005)
• EU Presidency Declaration on Guinea-Bissau (1/6/2005)
• EU Presidency declaration on Guinea-Bissau (8/4/2005)
• Déclaration de la Présidence de l'Union européenne - Rapport du Groupe Consultatif Spécial pour la Guinée-Bissau (1/3/2005)