The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has approved the deployment of 40 short-term observers to the Parliamentary elections in the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire scheduled for 18 December 2016. The AU Short-Term Observation Mission is led by H.E. Madam Catherine Samba-Panza, former Transition President of Central African Republic, and comprises observers drawn from the Pan African Parliament, the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, Election Management Bodies, Civil Society, Think Thanks, and independent experts from various African countries. The Mission will deploy to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire from 9 to 23 December 2016.

The deployment of the AU Mission to the Ghana is in line with paragraph VI (d) of OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections, paragraph 4.6 of the AU Guidelines for Elections Observation and Monitoring Missions as well as the democratic principles and values enshrined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. The AU Mission aims at contributing towards peace and democratic consolidation in Cote d’Ivoire.