By Allieu S. Tunkara
Slightly above a year to 2023 elections, European Union has called on government to ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process. The call was made by EU Ambassador, Manuel Muller during a press briefing at the Country Lodge in Freetown. Key attention he said would be paid to the management of the elections results after the polls.
Transparent and credible elections would take place if key governance reforms are carried out. “President Julius Maada Bio has already started the reforms project when he launched the ‘White Paper’ on the constitutional review process,” Ambassador Muller commended President Bio. The EU diplomat assured that government be supported by EU to ensure that the elections are free and fair. “The support would come under the new Multi Annual Indicative Programme (MIP) 2021-2027 which is line with Sierra Leone’s Medium- Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2019-2023,” he assured.
The MIP and MTNDP is a significant improvement of the long-standing cooperation between European Union and Sierra Leone. EU’s support to Sierra Leone’s electoral processes started in 1996 and continued to date. EU Electoral Observer missions were deployed in Sierra Leone during the last three general elections in 2007, 2012 and 2018, and there will be no difference in 2023 according to Ambassador Muller.
“Under the Support to the Governance Sector Programme in Sierra Leone, government was funded with 27 million Euros during 2018-2023,” Mr Muller informed the press.
Parliament, National Electoral commission (NEC) and Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), he went on got much of EU’s financial and technical assistance. NEC was also singled out by the ambassador for financial assistance in the forthcoming elections. Mechanisms for conflict prevention and mitigation, inclusive dialogue and resolution of disputes were also equally considered for EU support.
Civil society organisations as well as domestic elections observation team have been too have been assisted under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. Despite these interventions, the EU Ambassador pledged further support to actualise governance reforms and to consolidate peace and democracy in Sierra Leone. EU has always paid keen attention to the country’s electoral processes to ensure integrity.
In every election round after five years, the agency makes recommendations to government for a more transparent elections in the future. EU similarly observed the 2018 elections, and recommended for an enhanced credibility and effectiveness of future elections, public confidence in the electoral processes and to strengthen democratic institutions.
Between October and November, last year, an EU Election Follow-up Mission (EFM) led by a member of the European Parliament, Mr Norbert Nueser visited Sierra Leone to assess the state of the implementation of the recommendations, and encourage further progress. Ambassador Muller however remains confident that the recommendations would be implemented since Sierra Leone and EU shared common values and principles.
“Governance is at the heart of the EU-Sierra Leone partnership. EU and Sierra Leone have built a strong partnership of equals based on shared values,” Mr Muller informed the press.
The EU diplomat also told journalists that it had regular political and policy dialogue with the government on issues of common interest and strengthen partnership. The dialogues and negotiations are useful platforms for the government to make pledges for reforms and solicit support in different forms. It was during one of those sessions that President Bio addressed several governance issues including human rights and electoral reforms.
“President Bio and his cabinet ministers reconfirmed their commitment to a strong partnership with the EU, and they also formally confirmed government’s agreement to the priorities identified for the new partnership,” The EU Ambassador pointed out.
Notwithstanding the success recorded in the long-standing partnership between EU and Sierra Leone, the two entities recently did not see eye-to-eye on the implementation of the electoral reforms in respect of 2018 elections.
NEC, PPRC, the Judiciary and the police were accused of untrustworthiness in respect of handling issues relating to elections. The four government agencies are key election management bodies in Sierra Leone. Their responses to the EU allegations were varied. The election front line agency, NEC responded that an intergovernmental agency could not usurp power of NEC.
A common ground for a peaceful election has however been reached. EU, for long, has shown its relevance to Sierra Leone’s socio-political development by supporting governance and electoral systems. The inter-governmental agency has been supporting Sierra Leone in the consolidation of peace, stability and democracy with particular focus on electoral reforms.
Human rights, fundamental reforms, gender equality, inclusive growth and development, sustainable management of natural resources and environmental protection are thematic areas of EU’s support to Sierra Leone.