EU to deploy over 80 election observers to Burkina Faso

The European Union (EU) will deploy more than 80 election observers to Burkina Faso, a Western African country expecting to hold a presidential election to end its the transitional government, the EU announced here on Thursday.

These include 24 long-term observers to be deployed three weeks before the election and 48 short-term ones who will be especially on spot during the polling period.

Mrs. Cecile Kashetu Kyenge, chief of the EU's election observation mission to Burkina Faso, has arrived in Ouagadougou in order to coordinate the activities of her team tasked to support the electoral process.

The EU has donated election materials to Burkina Faso's National Independent Electoral Commission.

Presidential and general elections, scheduled for Oct. 11, have been postponed indefinitely following a coup attempt by the presidential security regiment (RSP), the elite army unit, which seized power on Sept. 16-22 after taking hostage the president of transition and some government officials.

Political actors are said to be working actively to set a new election agenda so as to put in competition 14 candidates, whose applications have been accepted. Endi