Council congratulated the people and the political leaders of Senegal on the successful organization of the presidential election on 26 February and 25 March 2012. 

Council  noted  the  peaceful  conclusion  of  the  parliamentary  elections  in  Egypt,  on  12 February 2012, as well as  the holding of  the  first  round of  the presidential election  in Guinea Bissau, on 10 March 2012. Council called on all stakeholders in Guinea Bissau to refrain from any action that may derail the process towards the holding of the second round, in a peaceful and transparent manner. Council took note of the parliamentary elections held in The Gambia, on 29 March 2012.

 

 Council took  note  of  the  steps  by  the  Commission  to  dispatch  election  observer missions to  Algeria  and  to  Lesotho,  on  the  occasions  of  their  parliamentarian  elections scheduled to take place on 10 May and 26 May 2012, respectively. 

 

Council  reiterated  the need  for Member States  that have not yet done  so  to  take  the necessary  steps  to  ratify  the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which entered  into  force  on  15  February  2012,  and  to  comply  scrupulously  with  all  relevant  AU instruments governing the holding of free, fair and transparent elections. 

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