Following an invitation from the Government of the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has approved the deployment of an African Union Short-Term Election Observation (STO) Mission to the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe’s Presidential Election scheduled for 17th July 2016.

The Mission comprises twenty five (25) observers drawn from members of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) of the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament, African Election Management Bodies, Civil Society Organisations working in the area of democracy, governance and elections in Africa, Think Tanks, AUC staff and independent election experts.

Headed by H.E. Armando Emilio Guebuza, the former President of the Republic of Mozambique, AU observers will be deployed in São Tomé and Príncipe from 8 to 22 July 2016 to observe the voting, counting and announcement of election results.

The AU Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to São Tomé and Príncipe has a mandate to observe and report on the credibility and transparency of the election process and will operate in accordance with relevant AU instruments for election observation such as: the 2007 African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance; the 2002 AU/OAU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa; the 2002 AU Guidelines for Elections Observation and Monitoring Missions and the African Peer Review Mechanism.