The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has released its report on the 2025 Presidential Election in Gabon, recommending institutional and capacity-building reforms be made as soon as possible to strengthen the country's democratic processes.
The Group recognises that Gabon was in transition at the time and therefore recommended a two-pronged approach: short-term actions to support the upcoming local and parliamentary elections later this year, complemented by long-term measures for institutional capacity building to ensure sustainable progress.
The report commended the establishment of the Election and Referendum Control Authority (ACER) which, it says, played a crucial in the electoral process. However, to help strengthen ACER’S role in the upcoming elections, the report recommends that members be more proactive in ensuring compliance with electoral laws and regulations. This, the report says, can be achieved by providing comprehensive training on the Electoral Code, conducting assessments to ensure ACER members have a thorough understanding of the law, and extending the appointment period of ACER members to allow for more effective execution of their mandate.
The report commended polling staff, candidates, law enforcement agencies, civil society, and the media for their roles in ensuring the successful conduct of the election.
Releasing the report, Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Botchwey said:
“The Commonwealth Observer Group's report on Gabon's presidential election marks an important step in our collective pursuit of resilient democratic institutions, improved electoral integrity and transparency. The short-term recommendations in the report will be helpful even as the country heads to the polls in September, in further fulfilment of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group mandate. I commend the people of Gabon for their peaceful participation and look forward to continuing our support for their democratic journey”.
The final report was drafted in-country, finalised and approved by the group's Chairperson, former President of Seychelles HE Danny Faure, and other observers. It builds on the initial findings of the preliminary statement, which was issued two days after the presidential election.
The report has now been shared with the government and relevant stakeholders in Gabon.
Read the Gabon Presidential Election 2025 Commonwealth Observer Group - Final Report
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