Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

CHRISTIAN BREDA, HEAD OF THE EU ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSION IN COTE D’IVOIRE PRESENTED HIS REPORT TO THE ECOWAS COMMISSION IN ABUJA.

—

by

Abdel Kader Sanankoua
in

 

At the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the EU deployed an electoral observation mission of 120 personalities to monitor the presidential election of 31st October and 28th November. The Mission’s mandate include the observation of the entire electoral process so as to give an evaluation devoid of partiality, independent and neutral stating the conformity of the processes to national and international democratic elections norms and practices. At the end of their work, the Head of Mission, Mr. Christian Breda presented to the ECOWAS Commission, some Commissioners, some accredited Diplomats to Nigeria and a section of journalists from the local and international press.

The report that could not be presented in Cote d’Ivoire was presented in Brussels and in Abuja at the Head of Office of the Commissions of the European Union and the Community of West African States. It observed that there was a big difference between the 1st and 2nd rounds of the presidential elections in Cote d’Ivoire. The 1st round was calm and peaceful. The 2nd round was fraught with sharp tension and proven cases of violence from the camp of the President.

According to the EU Head of the Electoral Observation Mission, the result announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and certified by the United Nations is the one recognized and accepted by the International Community. The decision of the Constitutional Court was a violation of Ivoirian Law within the basis that Ivoirian Law does not allow the partial cancelation of elections and the modification of the final result. As stated in the law precisely, the Constitutional Court can annual the general election and order its total re-conduct.

According to the Head of the Mission, Allassane Ouattara’s Victory in the 2nd round does not leave any doubt and the wishes of the people of Cote d’Ivoire that elected Ouattara with a difference of 400,000 votes over his rival Laurent Gbagbo must be respected.

 After more than an hour of speaking with the journalists, the President of ECOWAS Commission posited that the situation in Cote d’Ivoire has been a rude test to the principle of solidarity in practice in the region.