As part of its efforts to set an exemplary election observation system in Ethiopia, CECOE established an Election Situation Room (ESR) in which it received and analyzed election observation data sent via text from observers.
It is to be recalled that CECOE deployed close to 1000 observers to observe the September 30 elections and referendum. On the voting day, the observers, who went through meticulous training on election observation and reporting, were sending observation data to the ESR in real-time. Over 40 data – clerks who were working in two shifts were also receiving, organizing and analyzing the received data. The data was analyzed using Apollo software and the findings were communicated to media outlets, members and partners on 2 October 2021.
The Election Situation room was visited by many stakeholders including Danish Ambassador to Ethiopia Ms. Kira Smith Sindbjerg, representatives from the UK, Finish, USAid, Irish and French embassies. The visitors were briefed upon arriving at the situation room. . The visitors commended what CECOE has done in order to observe the election systematically and professionally.
