Follow-ups|Forum of Horn Vision"HAPC"

Friday|June5 , 2026

International and regional observer missions unanimously agreed that the seventh general elections to elect members of the Federal Parliament and regional councils in Ethiopia were a success.

Despite the security and logistical challenges that prevented some areas from voting, the electoral process was widely praised for its peaceful organization, massive popular participation, and unprecedented digital transformation.

The Electoral Landscape in Numbers:

According to official data released by the head of the Ethiopian Electoral Board, Melaturk Hello , the logistical indicators for the electoral process can be summarized as follows:

Total registered voters: 54 million voters.

Number of voters: More than 40 million voters cast their ballots.

Highest participation rate: recorded in the capital Addis Ababa.

Polling stations that did not open: 143 polling stations in the Amhara region And Urmia for security reasons.

A Technological Revolution and Unprecedented Institutional Reforms:

The African Union mission consists of 73 observers from 35 African countries

African Union and ( IGAD ) described these elections as the largest in the country’s history in terms of structural and technological reforms, most notably the following technical aspects:

Full digitization: Adoption of a digital registration system for elected officials and candidates.

A local electronic platform: It enabled more than 5 million citizens to register their names online.

Geographic maps: Using Geographic Information Systems ( GIS ) to efficiently manage and distribute polling stations.

Assessment of International Missions: Transparency and Security Discipline:

Regional missions praised the professional integrity they observed on election day.

Uhuru Kenyatta, head of the African Union mission in Ethiopia

With the African Union mission ( headed by Uhuru Kenyatta) expressing its appreciation, and praised his impressions of the elections, stressing that 99% of the 495 polling stations monitored ( distributed across 38 constituencies ) adhered to the laws to the letter. He also noted the professionalism of the security forces, who maintained a suitable legal distance without interfering in the voters’ choices. Due to the long queues that continued until 6 pm at an average of 88% of the centers, voting was extended for an additional 6 hours until midnight.

Former Ugandan Vice President and head of the IGAD mission to observe Ethiopian elections, Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe

the IGAD mission considered the elections a pivotal moment in the country’s democratic transition, praising the logistical coordination, it recommended reviewing the distribution of polling centers in the future and reducing the density of voters in each center to avoid overcrowding.

Security Shadow : Areas Outside Election Coverage:

Despite the overall success, international reports did not overlook the impact of the security situation on the inclusiveness of the elections, noting the following:

– Complete absence: Elections could not be held in the entire Tigray region.

– Partial disruption: The electoral process was halted in constituencies in the Amhara regions. And Urmia, and specific areas such as (Qarsa, Kotaber , Geluloba , and Gosachi).

– Calls for stability: The African Union and IGAD urged the authorities to create a stable environment that would guarantee citizens in these areas their right to participate in the upcoming elections.

Western Welcome and Anticipation of the Results:

Internationally, the European Union, along with Canada and Norway, welcomed the success of the electoral process, praising the role of the electoral board, political parties and civil society organizations, and expressing hope that voting in the postponed constituencies would be completed soon.

Next Step:

The official results are expected to be announced within the next ten days, and in this context, the head of the election council, Milaturk , warned Hello, regarding the dissemination of any false or unofficial results via social media platforms, stressing that the council is the only legal entity authorized to announce the final results, and that any transgression will subject its perpetrator to legal accountability.