US-Based Carter Centre To Send Four Person Election Observer Mission to Sierra Leone

The Carter Center, a not-for-profit organization founded by former US President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, has announced the launch of an international election observation mission to Sierra Leone ahead of the country’s national elections, which are scheduled for June 24, 2023. 

The mission said it was invited by the Election Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) to observe the electoral process and provide an independent and impartial assessment of the process.

“We look forward to engaging with Sierra Leonean stakeholders across the political spectrum and providing an independent and impartial assessment of the electoral process. We hope that our observation and reporting will provide important information to Sierra Leonean citizens, key recommendations to stakeholders, and help uphold transparency for the remainder of the electoral process,” said Nicholas Jahr Carter Center Field Office Director.

The team comprises a four-man team of experts from the United States, Poland, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. More electoral experts and medium-term observers from around the world will join them ahead of the campaign period, followed by short-term observers and high-level leadership around election day.

The Carter Center has a longstanding commitment to democracy in Sierra Leone and has been a force for peace in the country since 2002 when it observed the first presidential and parliamentary elections following the end of Sierra Leone’s devastating civil war. Since then, the Center has played a role in the country’s 2007, 2012, and 2018 national elections.

The Center’s work is conducted in accordance with the 2005 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and makes assessments based on relevant parts of national legal frameworks as well as regional and international obligations for democratic elections.

The Carter Center has observed more than 110 elections in 39 countries and is well known for its impartial and nonpartisan approach to election observation. The Center’s observation missions aim to promote greater transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the electoral process, with a view to upholding democracy and protecting human rights.

Source: The Carter Center