Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 1255th meeting held on 24 January 2025 on Consideration of the Report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on Elections Conducted in Africa, from July to December 2024 and Outlook for 2025.
The Peace and Security Council,
Recalling the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG); the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections [AHG/Decl.1(XXXVIII)] and the Guidelines for AU Electoral Observation and Monitoring Missions; also recalling the AU Constitutive Act and Article 3 (f) of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the PSC of the AU;
Further recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on elections in Africa, particularly Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1224 (2024)] adopted at its 1224th meeting held on 25 July 2024;
Taking note of the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Ennio Maes, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and Chairperson of the PSC of the AU for January 2025; also noting the presentation by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; and the statements made by Member States that held elections during the period from July to December 2024; and
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:
1. Adopts the Half-Year Report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on Elections in Africa for the period of July to December 2024 and the outlook for 2025; and commends the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, for his efforts in supporting Member States on elections processes, including capacity building and deployment of election observer missions; expresses deep appreciation to the African leadership and personalities who led the AU Election Observer Missions to Member States that held elections during the period July to December 2024;
2. Congratulates all Member States that successfully organized elections during the second half of 2024 in a peaceful, transparent and credible manner in accordance with the electoral timetables as provided for by their Laws; and encourages them to implement the relevant recommendations of the AU Election Observation Missions in order to improve future electoral processes;
3. Commends Member States for the increased use of domestic financial resources to finance and organize their elections, which intensifies national ownership and reduces the dependence on partners to fund election processes;
4. Also commends Member States with the support of the AU Commission, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) for the management of election results, preventing post-election violence; and expresses appreciation to the national and international stakeholders for their support and cooperation with the AU Election Observation Missions throughout the election processes in the AU Member States;
5. Also expresses appreciation to the AU Commission for the efforts made to promote democratic peace and good governance for sustainable development in Africa;
6. Takes note and welcomes the announcement of the presidential election by the Gabonese Republic to take place on 12 April 2025 and highly commends the Transitional Government of Gabon for the progress made towards a return to constitutional order; in this regard, requests the AU Commission to continue engaging the Government of the Gabonese Republic for more support towards successful organization of elections;
7. Underscores the importance of the continued contribution of Member States towards further improving the professional conduct of AU Election Observation Missions; in this regard, commends the Republic of Botswana for hosting the training of the continent’s electoral expert teams in Gaborone from 15 to 18 August 2024, towards strengthening the professional expertise for management of the elections processes; and reiterates deep appreciation to the Kingdom of Morocco for co-organizing, with the AU Commission, the 3rd Edition of the AU Specialized Training for Election Observers, in Rabat, from April 29 to 3 May 2024, and looks forward for the co-organization of the 4th Edition of the Specialized Training in 2025 and the host of the 2nd Dialogue-Seminar by the Policy Center for the New South in collaboration with the AU Commission-Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department (PAPS);
8. Encourages all State Parties to fully comply with the ACDEG and calls upon Member States that have not yet done so to expedite the signature and ratification of the ACDEG; also calls on Member States to spare no effort to invite AU Election Observation Missions to support and cover their electoral processes in order to actively participate and contribute to the consolidation of democracy in Africa;
9. Reiterates the appeals to the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) to allocate adequate financial resources to support election-related activities of the AU Commission in order to enable it to more effectively and efficiently fulfil its mandate of supporting electoral processes in the Member States, including through the provision of technical assistance and the deployment of AU Election Observer Missions;
10. Urges Member States who are scheduled to hold their elections in the first half of 2025 to do so in accordance with the national legal framework and the relevant regional, continental and international standards in pursuit of inclusive-participatory democracy and transparency;
11. Encourages the AU Commission to continue deploying preventive diplomacy missions alongside the AU Election Observer Missions and enhancing closer synergies between Member States, RECs/RMs, and other AU Organs to ensure seamless deployment and conduct of AU Election Observation Missions;
12. Commends the AU Commission for finalizing the 2023 Annual Report for the year 2023 on Elections in Africa – Comparative Commendable Lessons Learned; in this respect, urges the AU Commission for its publication with a view to a wider dissemination, making results available to Member States and those interested; and
13. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.