Akufo-Addo Arrives in Cotonou to Lead ECOWAS Election Observation Mission for Benin Polls
ECOWAS Mission Begins Deployment to Ensure Credible and Peaceful Presidential Election in Benin
- Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has arrived in Cotonou to lead the ECOWAS election observation team for Benin’s polls
- The mission will deploy long-term and short-term observers across Benin to monitor the electoral process
- The exercise aims to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and credible election in line with ECOWAS democratic protocols
Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has arrived in Cotonou to begin high-level engagements as Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission ahead of Benin’s presidential election scheduled for Sunday, April 12, 2026.
The mission is part of ECOWAS efforts to promote a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process that reflects the will of citizens in Benin.
As leader of a multidisciplinary delegation, Akufo-Addo is supervising the deployment of 20 long-term observers, 80 short-term observers, and 25 young professionals stationed across the country to monitor the electoral process.
The mission operates under the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which guides observers in assessing election fairness, institutional neutrality, and the overall political climate.
ECOWAS says the presence of the mission is expected to strengthen democratic governance, enhance stability, and boost confidence in the electoral process across the region.
Akufo-Addo also pledged to collaborate closely with Beninese authorities to ensure the election is conducted in line with democratic principles and international standards.
