Luanda - The African Union (AU) has been committed to ensuring that elections on the continent are conducted in a transparent and democratic manner, Angolan ambassador Miguel Bembe said on Thursday in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), whose country chairs the AU Peace and Security Council for the month of July.
According to the diplomat, who was speaking on the occasion of the 1224th meeting of the body, to this end the AU has mobilized Electoral Observation Missions, in the long and short term, the training of observers and the provision of technical assistance to member states in the electoral process.
This support, he said, aims to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process and ensure that democratic standards are respected.
He said that member states should analyze valuable lessons and good practices, as well as engage in the resolution of electoral conflicts.
For the Angolan diplomat, in the first half of this year, the 3rd Specialized Training for AU Electoral Observers was observed with satisfaction, which took place in Rabat, Morocco, from April 29 to May 3, 2024, and the Training of Youth and Women in Nairobi, Kenya, from May 11 to 13, 2024.
He assured that the initiatives aim to ensure that observers are well prepared to face the challenges of elections in different contexts.
He informed that between January and June 2024, six Observation Missions were carried out by the AU, namely in Comoros, Senegal, Togo, South Africa, Madagascar and Mauritania, with the exception of the presidential elections held in Chad.
Miguel Bembe stressed that the elections in this period played an essential role in promoting democracy, and their experiences offer valuable lessons for future elections.
Angola formally assumed its seat on the AU Peace and Security Council for the 2024-2026 biennium in April.
It was subsequently elected to chair the monthly rotating presidency of the PSC.
The Peace and Security Council of the African Union is the organization's decision-making body focused on the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts on the African continent. VIC/TED/DOJ
