The European Union has launched an election observation mission to The Gambia ahead of the country’s 2026 presidential vote.
The mission was announced at a news conference in the capital, Banjul, after an invitation from the Gambian authorities, the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on Thursday.
An eight-person “core team” of analysts has been based in Banjul since 21 October, and 16 long-term observers joined the mission on 2 November and were deployed around the country on Wednesday.
The observation mission is led by Reinhold Lopatka, a Member of the European Parliament.
The EEAS said the observers will assess the presidential election against The Gambia’s legal framework and the international and regional standards on democratic elections that the country has committed to uphold.
The EU has deployed election observation missions for national elections in The Gambia three times since 2017.
Observers to expand closer to polling day
Long-term observers come from 15 EU countries and Switzerland, and will meet local election officials, candidates, political parties, civil society and media representatives during the mission, the EEAS said.
A further 20 short-term observers will arrive shortly before election day, alongside a delegation of seven Members of the European Parliament and locally recruited short-term observers drawn from EU member states’ and partners’ diplomatic missions accredited to The Gambia.
Lopatka met the Independent Electoral Commission, the Chief Justice, the foreign affairs minister, the National Human Rights Commission, and representatives of political parties, media, civil society and domestic observers during his visit.
The mission will present preliminary findings at a press conference two days after election day, and will stay until the electoral process is completed.
EU election observation missions do not certify or validate election results, which remains the responsibility of national authorities.
