Praia, Cape-Verde - Observers from the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United States will supervise the 7 August presidential election in Cape Verde, sources close to the National Electoral Committee (NEC) told PANA on Tuesday.

The AU team of 13 observers from several African countries is led by Congolese Pascal Gayama, former Deputy Secretary General of the AU.

In addition to the AU mission, Sunday’s election in Cape Verde will be supervised by 11 observers from the United States and ECOWAS.

Manuel Inocêncio, who is supported by the ruling PAICV, Aristides Lima (PAICV MP, who is running as an independent candidate), Jorge Carlos Fonseca, who is supported by MpD, the main opposition party and Joaquim Jaime Monteiro, an independent candidate looking at 7 August poll.

A total of 305,349 voters are registered for the presidential election, including 36,934 in the Diaspora, to choose the successor of Pedro Pires,  elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2006. The constitution does not allow a third term for a president.

In 36 years of independence, Cape Verde has had three heads of state – Aristides Pereira (1975-1991), Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro (1991-2001) and Pedro Pires (since 2001).

Pana 04/08/2011