EU to monitor Ethiopian election

  1. Posted on Wednesday 14 April 2010 - 09:48
    Muhyadin
    Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
    Ethiopian government and the European Union have agreed that EU observers monitor that country's national elections in May, officials said. "The mission will be composed of approximately 200 persons," the EU representative in Ethiopia Dino Sinigallia said during a signing ceremony with the electoral commission.
    meles_zenawi
    Thijs Berman, the Dutch head of the EU mission who has already headed a team to observe Afghanistan’s national election in 2009, is due to arrive in Ethiopian’s capital of Addis Ababa on Wednesday.

    "The elections in Ethiopia will be observed by international standards," AFP quoted another European diplomat.

    The general election will hold on May 23 as more than 29 million Ethiopian have registered to cast their vote.

    Monitors from the EU have observed the Ethiopian’s national election which was held in 2005 but that election was followed by violence. Some 200 people were killed in clashes triggered by opposition claims of fraud.

    Ethiopia Prime minister Meles Zenawi has said that the government is committed to make the upcoming national election free and fair, democratic and peaceful, while on the other hand threatening opposition parties that withdrew from polls of consequences.

    "We have agreed to set up councils that look into complaints. There is now a mechanism put in place that deals with any sort of violation during the elections," Meles said.

    "Anyone will face consequences if found guilty. That also goes for our own members," he added.

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