AMN Plus-May 29, 2026
Meanwhile, the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) has arrived in Ethiopia to observe the upcoming general elections.
Led by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, the high-level mission, deployed at the formal invitation of the Government of Ethiopia.
The mission consists of 73 short-term observers drawn from 37 African countries, with women making up 61 percent of the delegation. The observer team includes ambassadors accredited to the African Union, election management officials, civil society representatives, election experts, human rights specialists, gender and media experts, as well as youth representatives.
Observers will be deployed across different regions of Ethiopia to monitor key election-day activities, including the opening of polling stations, voting procedures, vote counting, and the tabulation of results.
The AUEOM stated that its assessment will be guided by Ethiopia’s legal framework governing elections, the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), and other regional and international standards for democratic elections.
During its mission, the AU delegation is expected to engage with state institutions, NEBE, political parties, candidates, civil society organizations, media representatives, members of the diplomatic community, and other election observation missions operating in the country.
The mission is scheduled to release a preliminary statement on its observations and assessment of the electoral process during a press conference in Addis Ababa on June 3, 2026. A final and comprehensive report containing the mission’s findings and recommendations will be published within two months after the elections. Similarly, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has announced the deployment of its Election Observation Mission to Ethiopia ahead of the country’s 7th General Election.
The regional body stated that the mission was deployed at the invitation of the Government of Ethiopia and NEBE, reflecting continued regional engagement in supporting democratic and electoral processes across the Horn of Africa.
The IGAD mission is led by former Vice President of Uganda Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe and former President of the National Assembly of Djibouti Mohamed Ali Houmed.
The delegation comprises 26 short-term observers drawn from IGAD member states, including representatives from election management bodies, civil society organizations, and women’s and youth groups.
According to IGAD, observers will be deployed across several regional states, as well as the Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa city administrations, where they will monitor key stages of the electoral process, including the opening of polling stations, voting procedures, ballot counting, and the closing of polls.
The mission stated that its assessment will be guided by Ethiopia’s electoral laws and regional and international democratic frameworks, including the IGAD Draft Protocol on Democracy, Governance and Elections, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.
A comprehensive final report will be released following the official announcement of the election results by NEBE.
The deployment of both African Union and IGAD observer missions comes as Ethiopia attracts heightened regional and international attention regarding its democratic transition, electoral inclusiveness, and political stability.
By Leta Teresa
