By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Ethiopia, June 03,2026 - The British Embassy in Addis Ababa has congratulated Ethiopia's electoral authorities on the successful completion of the voting phase of the country's 7th General Election, joining a growing list of international partners that have welcomed the conduct of the polls.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the embassy praised the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) for overseeing the voting process in areas where elections were able to take place and acknowledged the efforts of thousands of individuals who contributed to the exercise.
"We congratulate the National Election Board of Ethiopia on the completion of the voting stage of the seventh General Election in Ethiopia, held in those areas where it was possible," the embassy said.
The statement comes as election officials continue tallying and verifying results from the June 1 polls, which attracted more than 54 million registered voters and involved over 10,000 candidates representing 42 political parties.
The election, one of the largest democratic exercises on the African continent, was conducted across 501 of Ethiopia's 547 constituencies. Voting did not take place in the Tigray region and several constituencies in the Amhara region due to ongoing security and administrative challenges.
The British Embassy also paid tribute to candidates who participated in the electoral contest, as well as the extensive network of election workers, observers and volunteers who supported the process.
"We also commend all the candidates who put themselves to the public vote, the many civil society observers, volunteers, election officers, and all those who gave their time to make the elections possible," the statement said.
The acknowledgment reflects the enormous logistical effort behind the election, which saw the National Election Board recruit and deploy more than 195,000 election officials to approximately 52,000 polling stations nationwide.
Election observers have noted that polling stations generally opened on time, voting materials were available, and procedures were conducted in an orderly manner despite the scale of the exercise.
The British Embassy also welcomed the role played by regional observer missions, particularly those organized by the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
"We welcome the AU and IGAD's organisation of monitoring missions. We look forward to reading their reports once the observation of the remaining stages of the process concludes," the embassy stated.
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The remarks come shortly after IGAD released its preliminary assessment of the election, describing the process as a significant milestone in Ethiopia's democratic development and commending electoral reforms, technological innovations and the peaceful participation of voters.
The IGAD mission, led by former Ugandan Vice President Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, reported high voter turnout, orderly polling station operations and strong public engagement throughout Election Day.
Similarly, the African Union Election Observation Mission, headed by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, observed polling activities across the country and is expected to release a detailed assessment once all stages of the electoral process are completed.
The British Embassy's statement follows similar messages issued by the European Union Delegation, EU member states, Canada, Norway and Switzerland, all of which welcomed the holding of the election and praised the efforts of election administrators and stakeholders.
The broad international interest reflects Ethiopia's significance as Africa's second-most populous nation and a key political and economic actor in the Horn of Africa.
While voting has concluded in most parts of the country, attention is now turning to vote counting, tabulation and the eventual announcement of official results by NEBE.
The post-election phase will be closely watched by both domestic and international observers, as it will determine not only the composition of Ethiopia's next parliament but also help shape the country's political trajectory in the coming years.
For now, international partners appear united in recognizing the successful completion of the voting stage while awaiting comprehensive observer reports and final election results.