Foreign Minister, Madam Marjon Kamara and the head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Liberia, Her Excellency Ms. Tiina Intelmann, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning observation of the 2017 presidential and representatives’ elections – one final act as head of the EU Delegation to Liberia.

Ms. Intelmann leaves the country shortly after a successful two and half year stint as head of the EU Delegation to Liberia.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the MoU signed between the Government of Liberia and the European Union at the Foreign Ministry on Monday, August 28, 2017 is based on an invitation extended to the EU on February 1^st, 2017 by the Government to observe the 2017 presidential and representatives’ elections.

The EU has accepted the invitation to observe these elections and an EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) is ready for deployment.

The EU and the National Elections Commission (NEC) have signed an MoU containing respective rights and obligations in connection with the mentioned elections.

Among other things, the EU EOM and its members will maintain strict impartiality, objectivity and independence in the conduct of their mandate. These observers will abide by the Code of Conduct for European Observers and will abide by the Declaration of Principles for International Elections Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers which was commemorated at the United Nations in New York in October 2005.

The Government will provide the EU EOM with any assistance required, for the implementation of the mission’s mandate, in accordance with the laws in force in Liberia and the terms of the present agreement.

In the framework of their observation mandate, the members of the EU EOM will enjoy freedom of movement throughout the country, without the need for prior permission or notification. They will have freedom of access to all political parties, candidates and election officials, as well as representatives from civil society and voters.

The Government will take all adequate measures to ensure the personal safety of the members of the EU EOM.

The EU will inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the number of observers deemed necessary to guarantee a credible observation of the entire electoral process and the names of all EU observers.

The Government will guarantee to the EU EOM and its members freedom of access to all bodies of the electoral administration as well as to all information relevant to the electoral process during the whole period of its presence in the country.

On polling day and thereafter, the Government will guarantee at EU EOM and its members, including assistants, freedom of access, at any time, to all polling stations and counting/tabulation centers, as well as to all other bodies of the electoral administration, in order to observe voting and counting procedures, and the tabulation, aggregation and transmission of results.