The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a pre-electoral fact-finding mission in Cabo Verde as the island nation prepares for its 2026 legislative and presidential elections. The delegation, led by ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah, began consultations on March 3 with a briefing at the bloc’s Permanent Representation in Praia hosted by Ambassador Kelly Lopes. The team later held talks with Foreign Minister Jorge do Livramento to review the country’s institutional readiness and electoral framework ahead of the upcoming polls. Cabo Verde’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 17, 2026, while the presidential vote will take place on November 15. A second round is planned for November 29 if no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round.
As part of its assessment, the ECOWAS mission also visited the Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre – Zone G, where discussions with coordinator Captain Abdoulaye Dieng focused on the broader governance and security environment surrounding the elections. In the coming days, the delegation will meet with the national electoral commission, political parties, civil society organizations, regulatory bodies and international partners. The consultations aim to evaluate the political climate, strengthen dialogue among stakeholders and identify potential challenges ahead of the electoral cycle. ECOWAS routinely deploys such missions months before elections across West Africa to support democratic governance, conflict prevention and credible electoral processes. The initiative in Cabo Verde is expected to help reinforce public confidence and ensure that the 2026 elections are conducted peacefully and transparently in line with the bloc’s Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
