MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Chief Observer for the European Union Elections Observer Mission has underlined the objective of the mission’s work in the pending presidential and representative elections in the country.

A group of 20 long-term observers was recently deployed to different parts of the country to follow the electoral preparations and campaigns.

Addressing a news conference on Friday in Monrovia, Maria Arena, who is also a member of the European Parliament, said the EU will observe the pre-election phase, and on the day of the polls. She said the team will stay in the country until the completion of a comprehensive assessment of the electoral process, including recommendations for future elections.

“We keep to our mandate of non-interference and neutrality. Our mission is here to contribute to impartial and objective assessments to a democratic transition in Liberia,” she said.

According to her, the outcome of the elections would be left with the country and its national institutions, including the National Elections Commission and Supreme Court of Liberia.

“We are not there to validate or certificate this election,” she said. “We observe and analyze the whole electoral process, including the legal framework, electoral administration, voter registration, nominations, campaigning, the conduct of the media, voting and the counting, the tallying of results and dispute resolution mechanisms.”

She stressed that the EU team of observers could not be at every voting center in the country due to its limited size, but said there would be local observers that would cover all centers across the country.

She said rather than transforming people’s perception about the elections, her team will work with other stakeholders in the elections to promote a credible and reliable process that would build trust in national institutions.

“We are here to give them information, and after that they decide if they trust the local institutions, or if they don’t, they can go to the national institutions to complain,” she added.

Arena has already met with members of the National Elections Commission, Supreme Court justices, leaders of civil society organizations, and some presidential candidates.

“After several meetings in Monrovia yesterday and today, I can see a goodwill from all sides to conduct the upcoming elections according to international standards,” she noted.

According to her, the October 10 elections are a crucial test for the democratic process in Liberia.

“A peaceful transition from one elected president to another is important not only for Liberia but also as an example for the region,” she added.

Featured photo by Gbatemah Senah