The ECOWAS Observation Mission to Sierra Leone’s general elections has continued its preventive diplomacy initiatives with key political stakeholders as Sierra Leoneans anxiously await the results of Saturday, June 24, 2023 polls.
The Head of the ECOWAS Mission, Dr Mohamed Chambas on Sunday met with his counterparts from other International Observation Missions, including the African Union, the Commonwealth, EU, the West Africa Elders’ Forum, and the Carter Foundation, to compare notes on the reports and information from their observers in the field.
Dr Chambas accompanied by H.E. Hailemariam Desalegne Boshe, Head of the AU Mission, also met with Dr Mohamed Konneh, Chief of Commissioner of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), and his staff to discuss issues arising from Saturday’s electoral process, including initial logistics challenges and the delay in the commencement of voting in some polling stations.
The Chief Commissioner informed the Heads of Missions that the Commission had started the collation of ballots ahead of the announcement of preliminary results.
Apart from isolated incidents of skirmishes, agitation by some voters anxious to cast ballots, and the attack on polling officials reported in one electoral district, the elections passed off relatively peacefully in the majority of the 16 electoral districts.
Dr Chambas, who is supported by the Deputy Head of Mission, Amb. Ansumana Ceesay, Amb. Moussa Harouna, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Sierra Leone, and Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, also met with officials of Sierra Leone’s Political Party Regulations Commission (PPRC) and the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC).
