Commonwealth Observers Prepare For Gabon Presidential Election

A Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has arrived in Libreville, Gabon, to prepare for the nation’s first presidential election since the unconstitutional transfer of power in August 2023.

Gabon is due to go to the polls on April 12, 2025 – a crucial milestone in the democratic transition to constitutional rule.

The COG, led by former President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, is expected to assess the electoral process, and the country’s adherence to its own standards, international and Commonwealth values.

With expertise in electoral management, law, human rights and media, the team of eight observers will provide an assessment of the election’s credibility, transparency, and inclusivity, the body said in a media statement.

In the press statement, chairperson of the COG, Faure assured the Gabonese people of the Commonwealth’s support: “We acknowledge the efforts of the Gabonese authorities in organising this election and undertaking other initiatives, such as the national inclusive dialogue, as part of a series of programmes aimed at strengthening the country’s commitment towards participatory democracy.

“The November 2024 referendum, in which citizens overwhelmingly voted for a new constitution, marked another significant milestone in Gabon’s democracy, which the Commonwealth was present to witness.”

A Commonwealth expert team was deployed to Gabon to observe the constitutional referendum – the Commonwealth’s first observation process since Gabon joined the family of nations in 2022.

That is described as a significant step in the Commonwealth’s ongoing commitment to support Gabon’s transition, following its partial suspension from the Commonwealth, in September 2023.

The COG, now assembled in Libreville, will be meeting numerous stakeholders, including political parties, the police, civil society groups, citizen observer groups, the media, domestic and regional observers and the diplomatic corps.

The mandate of the COG, as set out in the Commonwealth’s Revised Guidelines for election observation, is to observe and evaluate the pre-election environment, polling day activities and the post-election period.

From April 10, the COG will deploy observers in small teams to different parts of the country to observe electoral preparations and meet with local stakeholders in their respective locations.

According to the organisation, on election day, the election monitors will observe the opening, voting, closing, counting and results management processes. Following the election, the COG will issue a preliminary statement on 14 April.

They will then compile a final report to be submitted to the Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, following which it will be shared with relevant stakeholders and the public.

Other members of the Commonwealth Observer Group are Ms Lisa LaFlamme, media expert, Canada; Ms Francine Baron, former foreign minister, Dominica; Mr Joshua Opey, chairperson, Commonwealth Youth Council, Ghana and Mr Evans Odhiambo Ogada, advocate & law lecturer, Kenya.

Others are Mrs Gaudence Mushimiyimana, disability right activist, Rwanda; Mr Mosotho Simon Moepya, chairperson of the Electoral Commission of South Africa; Amantha Pereira, director, Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, Asia Pacific, Sri Lanka.