FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, December 10, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Sierra Leone has organised a workshop with local interlocutors and stakeholders to fine-tune the mission’s recommendations that will be included in their Final Report. The EU EOM Final Report will be published and presented by the Chief Observer, Mr. Richard Howitt, early in 2013.
The purpose of the workshop was to discuss with the Sierra Leonean institutions and interlocutors the recommendations which the EU EOM is elaborating after its two and a half months‘ of observation of the 2012 November elections, in an effort to increase the quality, acceptance and sense of national ownership of those recommendations by local interlocutors.
The meeting held today allowed the local stakeholders to discuss and share their views on the suggested recommendations in order to enhance future electoral processes in Sierra Leone. The participants in the workshop included the NEC, political parties, PPRC, National Elections Watch, the Bar Association, Human Rights Commission, IMC, SLAJ, Guild of Editors, IRN and WIMSAL, among others.
This systematic consultation with relevant interlocutors and stakeholders falls within the principles adopted in the Council Conclusions on Democracy Support in the EU’s External Relations 2009 which stress the importance of dialogue, partnership and the inclusion of all stakeholders with a view to true country ownership.
The EU EOM, led by Chief Observer, Richard Howitt, will be finishing its work in Sierra Leone on 14 December 2012. The EU EOM has been present in the country since 27 September. The Mission deployed 100 observers across the country to assess the whole electoral process in accordance with international and regional commitments for elections, as well as the laws of Sierra Leone. The EU EOM’s final report will be presented in Freetown early in 2013.
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