By Felix Khanoba
A delegation from the Commonwealth has arrived in Libreville to oversee preparations for Gabon’s upcoming presidential election—the first since the country’s unconstitutional change in leadership in August 2023.
Scheduled for 12 April 2025, the election represents a key step in Gabon’s return to constitutional governance.
The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG), under the leadership of former Seychelles President HE Danny Faure, is tasked with evaluating the electoral process in line with national laws and Commonwealth democratic standards.
Comprising eight professionals with backgrounds in electoral systems, law, human rights, and media, the observer group will assess the fairness, transparency, and inclusiveness of the upcoming vote.
Addressing the press in Libreville, HE Danny Faure expressed the Commonwealth’s backing for the electoral process.
He said: “We acknowledge the efforts of the Gabonese authorities in organising this election and undertaking other initiatives, such as the national inclusive dialogue, as part of a series of programmes aimed at strengthening the country’s commitment towards participatory democracy.
“The November 2024 referendum, in which citizens overwhelmingly voted for a new constitution, marked another significant milestone in Gabon’s democracy, which the Commonwealth was present to witness.”
The AUTHORITY reports that the Commonwealth’s involvement in Gabon’s transition began with the deployment of a Commonwealth Expert Team to observe the November 2024 constitutional referendum. This was the organisation’s first observation mission in Gabon since it became a member in 2022.
The country was later partially suspended from the Commonwealth in September 2023, but has since worked to restore democratic norms.
During their mission, the COG will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including political actors, law enforcement, civil society organisations, citizen observers, journalists, and diplomatic representatives.
Their mandate, based on the Commonwealth’s Revised Guidelines for election observation, covers the entire electoral process—pre-election preparations, voting, counting, and the post-election phase.
Beginning 10 April, observers will be deployed across various regions of Gabon to monitor the final stages of election planning and hold meetings with local stakeholders.
On polling day, the group will witness all key activities including the opening of polling stations, voting, closing procedures, the vote count, and management of results. A preliminary statement will be issued on 14 April, followed by a comprehensive report to be presented to Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey. The final report will be made available to both national stakeholders and the public.
Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group include the Chairperson – Danny Faure, former President of Seychelles, Ms Lisa LaFlamme, Media expert, Canada, Ms Francine Baron, Former Foreign Minister, Dominica
Mr Joshua Opey, Chairperson, Commonwealth Youth Council, Ghana
and Mr Evans Odhiambo Ogada, Advocate & law lecturer, Kenya.
Others are Mrs Gaudence Mushimiyimana, Disability rights activist, Rwanda, Mr Mosotho Simon Moepya, Chairperson, Electoral Commission of South Africa, Amantha Perera, Director, Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, Asia Pacific, Sri Lanka.
