"This book offers an authoritative study of election observation in Africa and its relation with democratization processes. Election observation is a hotly debated issue in contemporary international relations and in political science.

It is seen by donor-countries and the international community as a means to enhance democratization, but has been controversial with regard to the 'mandates' of the observers, the cases of its misappropriation by authoritarian governments and its masking of other donor-country interests. The book addresses fundamental issues of elections and democratization in Africa, evaluation policies and implementation, as well as the historical backgrounds."--BOOK JACKET.