EU to send election observer mission to Angola

The European Union said it was ready and willing to send an election observer mission to Angola and noted the interest of the authorities and national parties.

The Director-General for Africa of the European Union's External Action Service discussed several areas of cooperation between Brussels and Luanda during a visit to the country this week. 

The general elections in August were also on the agenda.

The European official also met with representatives of the main political parties. Angola will stage its election on August 24. 

"What I heard from all political parties was that there is an interest in this presence of the European Union and therefore we are now waiting for the formalization of an invitation," said Rita Laranjinha, Director for Africa at the European External Action Service.

"These electoral observation missions have the advantage of contributing so that the processes can be, what I heard from all the political parties, free and transparent electoral processes," she added. 

The National Electoral Commission said organizations interested in observing the exercise will be accredited once the list of political parties and coalitions participating in the election is confirmed by the Constitutional Court.