ADDIS ABABA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The Djiboutian government has announced that 67 international observers will monitor the country's upcoming presidential election scheduled for later this week.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Djibouti's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the observers were deployed at the invitation of the government by the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The AU mission, comprising 47 observers, is led by former Rwandan Prime Minister Bernard Makuza, while Ethiopia's former President Mulatu Teshome heads IGAD's 16-member team, the ministry said. The League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have each sent two observers.
The Red Sea nation is set to hold its presidential election on April 10, with incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh of the ruling Union for the Presidential Majority facing Mohamed Farah Samatar of the Unified Democratic Center.
According to the ministry, the observers are mandated to conduct independent, impartial, and objective assessments of the electoral process. They are also expected to meet with candidates, political authorities, and representatives of national institutions overseeing the vote.
Campaigning has intensified over the past week, with both candidates holding rallies across the country ahead of Friday's vote. Incumbent President Guelleh is seeking a sixth term in office. ■