Ethiopia's Election Praised, Technology Advances but Security Still a Concern

JAKARTA - Ethiopia's seventh election has won praise from regional observers for its high voter turnout and use of new technology. However, security disruptions still make voting impossible in a number of regions.

Quoted from China Daily, Thursday, June 4, the election on Monday was the second election since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was elected in 2018. Ethiopia's political developments are of concern to the region because the country is one of the most influential in Africa.

The monitoring mission from the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development or IGAD assessed that there were improvements in election administration, voter registration, and citizen participation.

According to the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia, more than 50.5 million citizens are registered as voters. This figure exceeds the initial target and is significantly higher than the previous election.

Of this number, more than 5.5 million people registered through a digital platform. Ethiopia uses a mixed system, namely digital and manual registration.

Technology is one of the most prominent things in this election. The organizer uses GIS-based mapping or geographic information systems. This technology helps map, analyze, and display the location of polling centers digitally.

Elections also use digital voter registration tools. In addition, there are special arrangements for internally displaced people and members of the security apparatus.

The monitoring team assessed that the technology helped increase access, transparency, and efficiency in election management.

"The way the electoral council organizes the Seventh Election deserves appreciation," the African Union and IGAD monitoring team said in a media briefing on Wednesday.

However, security issues remain a major note.

Voting was successfully held in 501 electoral districts. However, the election did not take place in the Tigray region as well as parts of Oromia and Amhara due to security and operational constraints.

According to China Daily, more than 50,000 polling stations are operating. However, 143 polling stations failed to open due to security issues.

Head of the IGAD Election Monitoring Mission, Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, praised the high public involvement in the election.

"We have never seen a level of public participation like we've seen in Ethiopia in any other country," he said.

Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who led the African Union Election Observation Mission, also praised the conduct of the election and the Ethiopian authorities' efforts to strengthen the electoral process.

The final results of the election are expected to be announced within one to two weeks after the voting is completed, according to Ethiopian election laws.