The European Union has softened its embargo on deployment of election observers to monitor Ethiopia’s upcoming election, announcing it will send observers at experts’ level.
The European Union last Monday said it will not send election observers’ mission to Ethiopia to monitor the country’s upcoming general election scheduled to take place on June 5, 2021.
EU in a statement said despite all efforts by the European Union, it was not possible to reach an agreement with Ethiopian authorities on key parameters for the deployment of an EU Electoral Observation Mission. “As conditions are not fulfilled, the deployment of the mission has to be cancelled,” it had said.
Although the EU has announced the cancellation of its plan to deploy election observers, the Union has decided to send observers at experts’ level, Dina Mufti-Spokesperson of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a briefing Saturday.
Dina said election observers are expected to follow guidelines to carry out their duties as laid out by proper institutions in Ethiopia.
MG/abj/APA