Angola's democracy is about to turn another page as the nation votes under its new constitution.

Women wait outside a polling station in Sumbe town, to cast their votes in the country's first national elections.(PHOTO ESSAY: Angola Faces New Era With Third Election )

Luanda — The Electoral Observation Mission of the African Union (AU) considered on Sunday in Luanda the August 31 general elections of Angola free, fair, transparent and credible.

According to the head of the AU Electoral Observation Mission, former Cape Verdean president, Pedro Pires, the general elections of Angola were held according to Durban Declaration on the Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, adopted by the Assembly of African Union, of July 2012.

The AU Electoral Observation Mission also congratulated the Angolan people, political parties and coalitions for their political maturity.

The AU also congratulated the National Electoral Commission (CNE), the security forces and all other stakeholders in the elections for conducting this electoral process in a peaceful way.

On the other hand, the AU urged the political parties and candidates to work together in order to consolidate peace and democracy in Angola.

The African Union also recommended speed in the accreditation process of national and international observers, list agents of political parties and coalitions.

The observers of the AU Electoral Observation Mission are from 24 African countries, namely Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Swaziland, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.