[ 2021-02-16 ]

Ayorkor Botchwey leads ECOWAS observer mission to Benin
The Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs and
Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey,
last Thursday led a team of ECOWAS officials to
Benin ahead of the presidential election in that
country. It is scheduled for April.

The aim of the two-day pre-election mission was to
exchange views with the main Beninois electoral
stakeholders to assess the level of preparation of
the institutions and socio-political actors to
ensure the conduct of an inclusive, free, fair,
transparent, credible and peaceful presidential
election.

The mission was in line with ECOWAS’ Additional
Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance to
promote peace, stability and the consolidation of
democracy in ECOWAS states.

Dignitaries

Ms Botchwey, who is also the Chairperson of the
ECOWAS Council of Ministers, was accompanied by
the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr
Jean-Claude Kassi Brou; the Commissioner in charge
of Finance at the ECOWAS Commission, Mrs Halima
Ahmed; the Resident Representative of the ECOWAS
Commission in the Republic of Benin, Ambassador
Blaise Diplo-Djomand, as well as ECOWAS technical
staff.

Courtesy calls
A communique issued by the ECOWAS Mission last
Friday said the mission paid a courtesy call on
the President of Benin, Mr Patrice Guillaume
Athanase Talon, who expressed his appreciation for
the initiative and explained the rationale for the
implementation of the electoral reforms.

He assured the mission of the government’s
commitment to continue to work with the relevant
stakeholders for the effective conduct of an
inclusive, free, fair, credible, transparent and
peaceful election.

The communique said the mission also met with key
stakeholders, including the President of the
Constitutional Court, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Cooperation, the Minister of Interior
and Security, the Chairman of the Electoral
Commission (CENA) and the Chairman of COS-LEPI
(The Supervision and Orientation Council for the
Permanent Electronic Voting List).

"The mission also met a delegation of the ruling
party and its affiliates, a delegation of the
political parties from the opposition and
representatives of civil society," it said.

It noted that the mission further met members of
the Diplomatic Corps and representatives of the
international community accredited to Benin.

Source - Graphic Online

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