EU observer mission confirmed for September 1 elections

…as Govt commits to securing as many int’l observers as possible

The European Union (EU) will deploy an observer mission ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections, following the signing of an agreement with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to facilitate the process.
Signing the Administrative Arrangement for the European Union Elections Observation Mission (EUEOM) was EU Ambassador to Guyana Rene van Nes and GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh. Also in attendance was Ambassador Elisabeth Harper of the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry.

“The Administrative Arrangement establishes the framework for the EUEOM’s deployment and operation in Guyana for the September 1, 2025 General and Regional elections,” a statement said following the signing.
The signing of this document comes even as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has assured it will pull out all stops to ensure as many reputable international observer missions as possible can be invited to observe the upcoming poll.
During his recent programme of ‘Issues in the News’, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Ministry, Anil Nandlall emphasized that the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) administration subscribes to electoral transparency and accountability.
Nandlall also welcomed the announcement that the Carter Center, which was founded by the late former US President Jimmy Carter, will be sending an observer team to Guyana for the September 1 elections.
“The Peoples Progressive Party fought 28 years to get observers to come here because for 28 years the PNC rigged the elections and they did not want observers to be present and they blocked observers out,” the AG said.
“It’s only in 1992 after 28 years of being in the trenches and struggles that one of the things that we won was the right to invite international observers to come and observe the elections and every year since then, we have had that.”
Nandlall also noted that in 2020, the then People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration blocked out international observers for the recount exercise, which began some two months after the March 2 polls. The attorney general emphasized that the presence of observer missions is important to certify the elections as free, fair and democratic.
“In 2020, remember it was during the Covid [pandemic] and by their shenanigans, they delayed the declaration of the results, when the Carter Center and the other observer teams left, they blocked them from attending the recount which took place some two months after,” Nandlall said.
“We know who the electoral miscreants are and we know what their capabilities, tendencies and proclivities are. So, the more the observer teams, the safer the electoral process,” the attorney general added.
During his speech at the 59th Independence Flag Raising ceremony at Albion, East Berbice-Corentyne, Region Six on Sunday night, President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that the official date for the 2025 General and Regional Elections will be September 1, 2025. He had noted that he reached this decision following consultation with the GECOM Chairperson, on the agency’s readiness.
Following his announcement, several opposition figures have endorsed the PPP/C, including The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) founder Shazam Ally, Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram, APNU Member of Parliament Geeta Chandon-Edmonds, former PNC Executive Dr. Richard Van West Charles and former Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs and Vice President under the coalition government, Sydney Allicock.
GECOM has already approved a workplan for the upcoming elections. Nominations Day has been set for July 14.