By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Ethiopia, June 03, 2026 - The European Union Delegation to Ethiopia and more than 20 diplomatic missions have welcomed the conduct of Ethiopia's 7th General Election, describing the June 1 vote as an important democratic exercise while expressing interest in the findings of regional observer missions monitoring the process.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the EU Delegation and diplomatic missions from EU member states, alongside Canada, Norway and Switzerland, commended the institutions and stakeholders involved in organizing the election.
The statement comes as Ethiopia continues tallying votes from a nationwide election that saw more than 54 million registered voters eligible to participate in choosing representatives to the federal parliament and regional state councils.
"The Delegation of the European Union to Ethiopia and the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States welcome the holding of the 7th General Election in Ethiopia on 1 June 2026," the statement said.
The diplomatic missions also recognized the efforts made by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), election officials, political parties, candidates and civil society organizations that participated in the electoral process.
The joint statement was issued by the EU Delegation together with the diplomatic missions of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, as well as Canada, Norway and Switzerland.
The international partners further underscored the importance of election observation in strengthening confidence in democratic processes and said they were looking forward to the findings of observer missions deployed across the country.
"Recognizing the important role of the African Union and IGAD as international observers, we look forward to their reports," the statement noted.
The African Union Election Observation Mission, led by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) observer mission were among the regional bodies that monitored polling stations during Election Day.
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Earlier, Kenyatta described the opening stages of voting as orderly and smooth, expressing hope that the process would continue peacefully throughout the day.
The EU and partner countries also highlighted constituencies where voting did not take place, expressing hope that affected areas would be given an opportunity to participate in the electoral process.
"Finally, we hope that all constituencies that were unable to hold elections on 1 June will be given the opportunity to do so," the statement added.
Several constituencies, particularly in parts of the Amhara region, were unable to participate due to ongoing security challenges, while voting also did not take place in Tigray amid continuing political and administrative complexities following the conflict that ended in 2022.
The statement reflects growing international interest in Ethiopia's electoral process, which is being closely watched because of the country's strategic importance, large population and influence within the Horn of Africa region.
As vote counting and verification continue, attention is now shifting toward observer mission reports and the eventual declaration of results, which analysts say will help shape Ethiopia's political direction and democratic trajectory over the coming years.
The election is widely regarded as one of the most significant political events on the African continent this year, carrying implications not only for Ethiopia but also for regional stability and governance across the Horn of Africa.