ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
The European Union has agreed to provide €6 million to help strengthen the African Union Commission’s election observation capacity.
The European and African unions signed the agreement in the framework of the Pan-African Program, according to a joint press release posted on the AU website late Thursday.
The agreement, it said, aimed to help the African Union's election observation missions meet international standards, and thus contribute to inclusive, transparent and credible elections in Africa.
The grant will also support the AU in developing its human capacity to conduct long-term election observations both at the institutional and observation mission levels, according to the press release.
Current support provided by the EU through the Election Observation and Democratic Support program will continue, the press release added.
The program has been underway since the beginning of 2015 in line with the Joint Africa-EU Strategy Roadmap agreed at the April 2014 EU-Africa Summit.
“The EU and AU have committed to the promotion of democratic governance through enhanced cooperation on both continents,” the press release said.
