International observers commend Egypt for consolidating democracy
The African Union (AU) and Arab League (AL) have released preliminary assessments of the just-concluded Egyptian presidential elections which took place from December 10 – 12, with final results expected on December 18.
The Arab League observer mission and the Election Observation Mission (EOM), jointly established by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) are key observers of the process.
The AL mission monitoring the 2024 presidential elections led by Ambassador Khalil Ibrahim Al-Zuwadi announced the preliminary assessment of the process at a press briefing at the AL headquarters in Cairo, local media Ahram Online reported.
Al-Zuwadi stated that the voting occurred in accordance with the established legal framework governing the electoral process. He said the framework facilitated voters in freely exercising their electoral rights, local media Ahram Online has reported.
He affirmed that the legal framework overseeing the elections aligns, for the most part, with the international electoral standards outlined in the treaties endorsed by Egypt. This framework encompasses Egypt's constitution, electoral process-related laws, and decisions issued by the National Election Authority (NEA).
Al-Zuwadi congratulated Egypt's leadership, government, and people on the success of the 2024 presidential elections. He emphasized that the National Electoral Authority (NEA) in Egypt has become a center of expertise for Arab countries that can be utilized in conducting elections and democratic processes.
The Election Observation Mission (EOM), jointly established by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), praised Egypt for its dedication to conducting the 2024 presidential elections in the face of challenging economic and security conditions. The EOM acknowledged the professional execution of the mandate by Egypt's National Elections Authority (NEA), as outlined in COMESA's initial statement on the 2024 presidential elections in Egypt. Despite internal economic challenges and regional security and humanitarian issues related to ongoing military operations in neighboring Gaza, Egypt successfully organized the elections in a generally peaceful setting. The statement emphasized that these elections contribute to establishing a robust foundation for peace and stability in the country.
The head of the joint mission of the African Union and COMESA, Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe, expressed satisfaction with Egypt’s presidential elections, in a statement. “The NEA generally executed its mandate professionally. Polling officials, supervised by judicial officers, demonstrated a strong understanding of voting procedures and received positive competence assessments from observers. Overall, the December 10 – 12 election provides a solid foundation in consolidating peace and stability in Egypt. The commitment of the Egyptian government to hold an election amid a challenging economic and security environment is commendable. As the nation awaits the announcement of results by the NEA, the Mission urges all stakeholders to continue upholding peace throughout the remainder of the process. The Mission further encourages any aggrieved party to utilize legally established channels for redress,” the AU reports.
Thus far, Ahram Online reports that preliminary results of elections vote count indicate that incumbent President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi leads with about 90 percent of the votes.
