Audit of the electoral file: international experts on a mission in Benin
The four international experts recruited to audit the Beninese electoral file were received this Tuesday, July 15, 2025, by the president of the Constitutional Court. A strategic meeting that marks a key step in a mission aimed at ensuring the reliability of electoral lists and the transparency of upcoming deadlines.
SUMMARY
At the request of the opposition party The Democrats, and with the approval of the President of the Republic, Patrice Talon, a team of four international experts is tasked with auditing the computerized electoral lists. This Tuesday, July 15, they were received by the president of the Constitutional Court, Professor Dorothé Sossa, in the presence of the chairman of the steering committee, Jean-Baptiste Elias.
At the end of the meeting, the head of the mission, the Congolese Ronsard Malouda Ngimbi, explained the objective of their visit. “We requested a meeting with the president of the Constitutional Court, who received us. It was necessary for us, in the context of the mission we are conducting, for us to visit the Court, which is the body for managing disputes related to the electoral process.”, he said.
Three phases for a large-scale mission
Present in Cotonou since July 6, the team of experts, composed of a demographer, a biometrics expert, a computer scientist, and a lawyer, is working within a well-defined schedule, from July 8 to 27.
“This work extends over three phases: a data collection phase, in which we are currently, an analysis and examination phase, and finally a phase of preparing reports with recommendations and an implementation plan,”, detailed Ronsard Malouda Ngimbi.
According to him, it is a matter of evaluating both the procedures that led to the constitution of electoral data and the quality of the data itself. He specifies that “the first objective is to analyze the procedures and tools that allowed the collection of data. Secondly, the data must be examined to verify their compliance with the internal legal framework and international standards.”
Security of data and reinforcement of trust
Another priority of the mission: the security of voters’ personal data. On this subject, the mission head insists that “these data must be well secured now, well secured tomorrow, and throughout the electoral process until the expression of suffrage.”
He specifies that the audit also aims to highlight the strengths of the system while ensuring a list “free of errors, cases of fraud or irregularities.”
For the experts, it is not just a simple technical assessment, but an act of strengthening democracy. “This work will result in the strengthening of trust from all stakeholders in these computerized electoral lists,”, underscored Mr. Ngimbi.
He praised the quality of the welcome and the commitment of the Constitutional Court. “We were pleased to see that the higher jurisdiction is ready to know in time and with speed any case of complaint or dispute.”, recognized Ronsard Malouda Ngimbi.
Finally, he does not rule out that adjustments may be recommended at the end of their mission.
“It does not prevent that at our level, at the end of the work, we can recommend certain clarifications or provisions to strengthen the management of claims during the display and consultation of the lists.”
The goal is to guarantee a credible electoral process that is accepted by all, and the conclusions are expected by the end of July 2025.
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