CNDH, EU Sign Agreement on Protecting Human Rights During 2024 Presidential Elections

On 6 December, in Nouakchott, Mr. Ahmed Salem Ould Bouhoubeini, the President of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), and Ambassador Jones Guillem, the Head of the EU Delegation in Mauritania, signed an agreement aimed at creating an environment conducive to the protection of human rights during the 2024 presidential elections.

In a speech on this occasion, the CNDH President indicated that this agreement is part of a fruitful cooperation between his institution and the EU and aims to mobilize a month of expertise to support the CNDH to establish a multi-sectoral dynamic involving all stakeholders to hold transparent, credible, and consensual elections.

He added that the compliance of the electoral process with international standards, its democratic value, and its credibility depend on effective respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Mr. Ahmed Salem Ould Bouhoubeini added that national human rights institutions enjoy full legitimacy to intervene in the context of the operation and draw their legitimacy in this area from international texts, statutes, and powers that define their competence in the field of human rights.

He said the CNDH role is to ensure that all human rights associated with elections are respected, educate citizens on their rights, and inform the authorities of any shortcomings recorded so that the necessary corrections can be made.

He praised the level of cooperation between the CNDH and the EU, particularly over the past four years.

For his part, the Head of the EU Delegation in Mauritania stressed that the agreement constitutes important support for the electoral process, to protect and promote human rights, particularly civil rights.