Elections 2021: Local CSOs to Deploy Over 134, 100 Observers

ADDIS ABABA – More than 134, 100 local observers will be deployed in the upcoming 2021 General elections in Ethiopia, electoral board announced on Saturday.

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has been looking into the applications of 111 domestic Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that sought to deploy observers in the elections, in two rounds.

After inspecting their applications based on elections law, the requirements put forward in the call for observers, observers recruitment planning and other guidelines, NEBE said it has selected 36 organisations to deploy observers in the elections.

“The selected 36 civil organisations will deploy 134,109 domestic observers,” the Board said in a statement.

About 46 percent or 61, 851 of the observers are women, according to the statement.

“Our next plan is to conduct awareness trainings for selected civil society organizations, and develop a strategy to support and monitor a total of 134,109 observers,” the board said.

As per NEBE election calendar, Ethiopia will hold the 6th parliamentary election this year, on June 5, 2021.