ECOWAS DEPLOYS PRE-ELECTION MISSION TO CÔTE D’IVOIRE AHEAD OF 2025 POLLS — INTENSIFIES DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENTS FOR PEACEFUL, TRANSPARENT VOTE.
By Raymond Enoch.
In a strategic move to safeguard peace, transparency, and democratic integrity ahead of Côte d’Ivoire’s highly anticipated October 2025 presidential election, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has officially launched its Pre-Election Mission in Abidjan.
The mission, led by Professor Théodore Holo, former President of the Constitutional Court of Benin, began its activities on June 30, 2025, following the arrival of the delegation in the Ivorian capital a day earlier.
The ECOWAS team embarked on a series of high-level engagements with key national and international stakeholders, starting with visits to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, and the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA). The delegation also met with representatives of media associations, civil society organizations, and the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), alongside diplomatic representatives from ECOWAS member states.
A pivotal meeting was held with Ms. Hélène N’Garnim-Ganga, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting the mission’s strong partnership with the international community in advancing electoral stability.
The objective of the pre-election mission is to evaluate the prevailing political climate, identify potential risks, and propose actionable recommendations to ensure a peaceful, inclusive, and credible electoral process. By engaging a broad spectrum of electoral actors, ECOWAS aims to strengthen public confidence in both the electoral institutions and the legitimacy of outcomes.
Professor Holo is accompanied by a high-profile delegation that includes:
Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, PhD, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security
H.E. Adjovi Yekpe, Ambassador of Benin to ECOWAS, representing the Committee of Permanent Representatives
H.E. Fanta Cissé, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire
A senior representative from the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)
The mission represents the first phase of a comprehensive electoral support framework by ECOWAS, which is expected to include long-term observers, conflict prevention mechanisms, and mediation readiness in the lead-up to election day.
“ECOWAS is committed to proactive engagement that promotes trust, accountability, and stability across the region,” a senior official from the delegation stated.
As Côte d’Ivoire enters a critical pre-electoral period, the regional bloc’s presence sends a strong signal of its readiness to safeguard democratic norms and prevent electoral violence.
The eyes of theh sub-region—and in the international community—remain focused on Côte d’Ivoire, where the stakes are high and the margin for error, narrow
