The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, has approved the deployment of a Fact-Finding Mission to Togo ahead of the legislative and regional elections scheduled for April 29, 2024.

ECOWAS in a statement dated April 16, 2024, said the Mission will undertake a pre-electoral assessment in accordance with community texts and will not engage in any other process as indicated in an earlier communiqué, which has now been withdrawn.

This Fact-Finding Mission is in conformity with the provisions of Article 12 of the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, Article 53 (c) of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework and the Decision of the Authority of Heads of State and Government authorising pre-electoral missions to Member States organising elections.

Led by Maman Sambo Sidikou, former Representative of the African Union in Mali and the Sahel, the Mission will meet the main stakeholders in the electoral process during its stay in Togo from 15 to 20 April, including the leadership of State institutions and agencies, political parties, the election management body, civil society organisations, the media, and partners.

The Mission will submit its report and recommendations to the President of the ECOWAS Commission for appropriate decisions and action, including the deployment of an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the legislative and regional elections.