AU delegation begins observation of presidential election

CAIRO – 26 March 2018: The African Union Commission delegation headed to Orman Secondary School for Girls in Dokki to start observing Egypt’s three-day presidential election.

Upon an invitation from the Egyptian Government and the National Elections Authority, the chairperson of the African Union Commission approved the deployment of a Short-Term Election Observation Mission to Egypt to observe the country’s presidential election, scheduled for March 26 to March 28.

The mission is led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, and includes forty short-term observers that will be deployed across polling stations during the three days of voting.

Starting Monday, about 60 million Egyptians will cast their ballots to elect the country’s next president, in a race pitting incumbent President Abdel Fatah al Sisi against El Ghad party chairperson, Moussa Moustafa Moussa.

The 2018 presidential election is the third poll to take place in Egypt since the January 2011 revolution. Egyptian expatriates have already voted in mid-March across 124 countries.

According to the National Elections Authority, the presidential election will be supervised by 18,620 judges; including 8,420 regular judges, 4,800 administrative prosecutors, 3,300 judges from State Lawsuits Authority and 2,100 judges from the State Council.

A number of international organizations will also participate in observing the presidential election nationwide. These organizations include the Arab League, African Union Commission, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States.

The primary results of the first round of the election will be announced on March 29, where decisions on appeals submitted by candidates, if any, will be made.

The final results of the first round will be announced on April 2. If there is a need to hold a run-off round, Egyptian expats will cast their votes again on April 19 to April 21. The final 2018 presidential election results are expected to be announced on May 1.