An Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission has concluded its programme of consultations in Cabo Verde, completing a comprehensive round of engagements with the country’s government, electoral institutions, political parties, civil society groups, and international partners ahead of two elections scheduled later this year.
The mission, led by Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, held its final consultations in Praia on 8 March 2026, wrapping up a multi-day exercise that formed part of the bloc’s preventive diplomacy work in the run-up to Cabo Verde’s legislative elections, set for 17 May 2026, and presidential vote scheduled for 15 November, with a potential runoff on 29 November if no candidate secures an outright majority.
At the governmental level, the mission met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Regional Integration, Dr Jorge do Livramento, and the Minister of Justice, Joana Gomes Rosa. Both meetings centred on the legal frameworks underpinning the electoral process and Cabo Verde’s institutional commitment to peaceful, transparent elections. The justice ministry discussions focused specifically on the role of courts in managing electoral disputes and the importance of credible legal mechanisms for handling any complaints arising from the polls.
On the electoral administration side, the delegation held discussions with the President of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), Maria do Rosário Gonçalves, covering oversight mechanisms and public confidence measures, as well as with the Director-General of the Directorate-General for Electoral Support (DGAPE), Salif Silva, who briefed the team on logistical preparations, voter registration, and coordination arrangements.
The mission also consulted all four of Cabo Verde’s principal political parties. Representatives of the African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde (PAICV), the Movement for Democracy (MpD), the Union for a Democratic and Independent Cabo Verde (UCID), and the People’s Party (PP) all participated, offering the delegation their assessments of the electoral climate and campaign conditions. The UCID representative joined proceedings via virtual connection.
Civil society organisations, represented through the Platform of National Civil Society Organisations, emphasised the importance of active civic participation and responsible public discourse in safeguarding democratic processes. The European Union delegation and United Nations representatives also joined a joint consultation on international support for democratic governance in the country.
In a session at the Constitutional Court, the mission met with its President, Dr José Pina Delgado, to discuss the court’s role in managing electoral litigation and upholding constitutional order throughout the electoral cycle.
As the mission drew to a close, the delegation met with ECOWAS ambassadors accredited to Cabo Verde before holding a final consultation with the CNE to consolidate observations gathered across all the engagements.
Cabo Verde consistently ranks as Africa’s most democratic country in Freedom House’s annual survey and has alternated power between its two leading parties since transitioning to a multiparty system in 1991. ECOWAS said the Cabo Verde mission forms part of a wider 2026 electoral calendar that also includes oversight of the Benin presidential election in April and legislative elections in The Gambia.
