Equatorial Guinea: The Head of the African Union Observation Mission to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea Elections to Commence Stakeholders' Engagement

18 November 2022
African Union (Addis Ababa)
press release

The Head of the African Union Observation Mission to Equatorial Guinea's Elections, Mr. José Mario Vaz, former President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau started today holding his round of meetings with stakeholders in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea's general elections to take place on Sunday 20th November 2022. Since the mission's deployment, Mr. José Mario Vaz has been receiving updates from various stakeholders including government officials, political parties, the electoral commission, civil society and other observer groups.

Mr. José Mario Vaz started his engagement by meeting with H.E. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Prime Minister H.E. Francisco Pascual Obama Asue, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E Mr. Simeón Oyono Esono Angüe, and officials of the National Electoral Commission (NEC). He was briefed on the level of preparedness to ensure credible, free, and fair general elections.

In the afternoon, Mr. José Mario Vaz met the team of AU observers who are undertaking 2-day training. He urged them to be impartial and objective during elections and emphasized the need to work together to make sure that elections are credible and transparent. The Head of AUEOM reaffirmed the determination of the AU to continue to promote, deepen and consolidate democracy, good governance, constitutionalism and the rule of law in all Member States, in line with Articles 3 and 4 of the AU Constitutive Act; and also reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that the Member States fully adhere to the provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

H.E Mr. José Mario Vaz is heading more than 50-member delegation coming from 37 African countries, which includes Ambassadors accredited to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Pan-African Parliamentarians, members from Election Management Bodies (EMBs), Academics, African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Independent Experts.

The deployment of the delegation by the African Union Commission (AUC) was done following an invitation by the Equatorial Guinea Government, and as part of the AU Commission's mandate and commitment to supporting credible, transparent and inclusive electoral processes in member states of the African Union.

The overall objective of AUEOMs is to promote democracy, strengthen democratic institutions and build public confidence in electoral processes in AU Member States. The conduct of free, fair and credible elections in Member States is deemed critical to the realization of the AU's aspirations and its overall goal of ensuring an integrated, peaceful and prosperous continent.

The mission will announce a preliminary statement on the electoral process on 22 November 2022, two days after the elections.

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