The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has deployed a Medium-Term Election Observation Mission (MTEOM) to the Republic of Guinea ahead of the country’s presidential election scheduled for December 28, 2025.
The fifteen-member technical team arrived Conakry on Thursday, December 18, 2025, commencing an in-depth assessment of the pre-election environment.
The mission, approved by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, is led by Serigne Mamadou Ka, Acting Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division.
The delegation brings together specialists across key thematic areas, including electoral administration and logistics, constitutional and legal affairs, conflict prevention and management, gender mainstreaming, and media monitoring.
The multidisciplinary composition is designed to ensure a comprehensive and balanced evaluation of the entire electoral process, from preparation through polling and the immediate aftermath.
ECOWAS confirmed that the Medium-Term team will be reinforced by the deployment of 120 Short-Term Observers (STOs) closer to election day.
The observers will monitor polling activities nationwide and assess the post-election environment, reinforcing transparency and public confidence in the process.
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The deployment is being carried out in strict compliance with the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which mandates the Commission to provide technical assistance and observation support to Member States during major electoral exercises.
The protocol underscores ECOWAS’ commitment to credible elections as a foundation for peace, stability, and democratic governance across the region.
Guinea’s December 28 presidential election marks a critical milestone, signalling the conclusion of the transition period that followed the military takeover of September 5, 2021, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya.
In response to the change in government, ECOWAS suspended Guinea from the bloc’s decision-making bodies while maintaining sustained diplomatic engagement with the authorities in Conakry.
According to the Commission, the presence of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission reflects the regional body’s unwavering commitment to accompanying Guinea toward a peaceful, inclusive, and civilian-led democratic dispensation.
As the country approaches the pivotal vote, ECOWAS’ engagement is expected to play a stabilizing role, reinforcing confidence in the electoral process and supporting Guinea’s reintegration into the democratic community of West African states.
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
