The European Union has begun the deployment of some Election Observers, under what is known as its Election Observation Mission.
EU deployment of observers follows a request made by the Government of Liberia and the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) led by Chief Observer, Andreas Schieder, a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Austria to observe the General and Presidential Elections of October 10, 2023.
The team led by Chief Observer Andreas Schieder said the EU Election Observation Mission has deployed 20 Long-Term Observers all over Liberia to carefully monitor the pending crucial Presidential and General Elections of the country.
Chief Observer Schieder noted that these elections mark a significant milestone in the consolidation of Liberian democracy adding that the European Union Election Observation Mission will monitor the process impartially and independently.
“I can ensure that our team of analysts and observers will deliver an objective assessment of the upcoming electoral process to the Liberian people and the EU-EOM will assess the elections based on international and regional standards and commitments that Liberia has espoused, together with its national laws,” Chief Observer Andreas Schieder added.
The Chief Observer furthered, “Our presence in Liberia and the elections will focus on the entire electoral process, including an assessment of the legal framework, election administration, voter registration, candidate nomination, campaigning, the media’s role, voting, counting, and tabulations of results as well as the complaints and appeals process.”
The EU-EOM arrived in Liberia on August 27 with Deputy Chief Observer and a Core Team of 10 analysts experts consisting of an election, political, legal, campaign finance, media and social media, and a data analysts.
Since the arrival of the EU EOM, they have had several meetings with Liberian authorities, political parties, journalists, civil society organizations, Chair and Board of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC).
At the same time, 40 Short-Term Observers will be additionally deployed throughout the country, alongside a Delegation of Members of the European Parliament and around 20 diplomats from EU Member States accredited in Liberia a week before Election Day.
Meanwhile, the EU Election Observers come from the 27 different EU Member States, as well as Canada and Norway, bringing the number of EU Observers on Election Day to around 100.
However, EU EOM observers will work in line with the code of conduct which requires strict neutrality and non-interference rather than undertaking its work according to the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.
Since the beginning of this year, too many Liberians especially international community eyes have been on the October 10 polls stressing that it is crucial and Liberians must peacefully conduct themselves in these times of their electoral period.
Among the international community to observe the elections include, the United States of America which recently sent out a caveat to political parties, candidates upholding the Farmington River Peace Declaration, and any individual who tends to jeopardize the elections will be placed on sanction by the American government.