As Sierra Leone prepares for its general election on June 24, the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) has arrived in Freetown to promote and support a peaceful democratic transition. Led by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the WAEF 2023 Election Mission is in charge of the mission.
Former Burkinabe Prime Minister and one-time President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Kadre Ouedraogo, and WAEF secretariat employees are also part of the team.
The head of mission urged the people of Sierra Leone to approach the election with the utmost patriotism by prioritizing the nation’s peace and stability and refraining from acts that could undermine the country’s democracy, according to a statement released on Wednesday by Mr. Wealth Dickson Ominabo, the communications officer of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, which serves as the host of the WAEF secretariat.
According to him, the team will consult various political actors and significant stakeholders in Sierra Leone. These stakeholders include the leadership of the political parties, the candidates, the Election Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), security organizations, the diplomatic community, civil society organizations, and the media.
He stated, “Since its establishment in 2020, WAEF, an initiative of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, has undertaken missions to different countries in the sub-region, including Gambia and Nigeria, in line with the Forum’s mission of preventive diplomacy to reduce electoral-related tension and violence in West Africa.”
