Lomé, February 20, 2020. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has deployed sixty observers for the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (ECOWAS-EOM) to the Presidential Election in Togo. The observers were deployed today, February 20, 2020 in Lomé, Togo ahead of the February 22, 2020 Presidential Election.

As part of ECOWAS electoral support, H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, had initially approved the deployment of a long-term election observers to Togo since February 8, 2020 to support and monitor the entire electoral process.

In a goodwill message during the deployment, Dr Remi Ajibewa, Director Political Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, expressed the determination of the ECOWAS Commission to accompany the government and people of the Togolese Republic through the Presidential Elections in line with the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance of 2001.

H.E. Ernest Bai Koroma, former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Head of ECOWAS EOM to the Togolese Presidential Election and Commissioner Behanzin

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While thanking the Observers, Gen. Francis Awagbe Behanzin, Commissioner Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the ECOWAS Commission, highlighted that ECOWAS electoral assistant to its Member States finds its justification in the application of the provisions of article 12 of the Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, of article 53 (c) of the Framework for the Prevention of ECOWAS conflicts and the decision of the Authority of Heads of State and Government relating to the timely deployment of pre-electoral missions and observations in the member states organizing elections.

“Dear Election Experts, you have once again agreed to make yourself available to the Community to contribute to the promotion and consolidation of democracy in West Africa. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this gesture of faith and commitment that you still manifest towards the West African region” he said.

The Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to the Togolese Presidential Election, H.E. Ernest Bai Koroma, former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, in his welcome address stressed that ECOWAS regularly deploys Election Observation Missions to Member States to ensure that elections, which constitute a significant component of the democratic governance in the Region, are conducted in a fair and credible manner that lead to outcomes which reflect the true will of the citizens.

After the briefing, President Koroma held several meetings with candidates and their representatives from political parties contesting in the election to assess the political situation.

ECOWAS has demonstrated its commitment to support the government and people of Togo in successfully conducting the February 22 Election by conducting a Pre-Electoral Fact-finding mission in December 2019. This was followed by a joint ECOWAS-UN a sensitisation Workshop on Peaceful Conduct of Elections and Related Matters.

 In addition, a three-day workshop on the use of Dialogue and Mediation in Electoral-Related Disputes was organised by the Directorate of Political Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), the Swedish Agency for Peace, Security and Development in Lomé.