8. Develop regulation of political party financing to promote accountability and transparency and as a key step towards creating a level playing field between political parties. 9. Procedures for the security of the ballot from printing, deployment to polling stations and on Election Day should be reviewed and procedures clearly announced for future elections. 10. Multi-Party Liaison Committees should be a regular feature of inter-party dialogue throughout the entire electoral cycle, to be an effective conflict resolution tool for political parties and to provide an effective forum for reporting on non-compliance with the Code.1 II. Introduction The EU was invited by the Government of Zimbabwe to observe the Harmonised Elections and a Memorandum of Understanding between the EU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was signed on 28 May 2018. The EU EOM was led by Elmar Brok MEP, from Germany. A core team of ten experts was present in Harare from 6 June. Forty-four long-term observers arrived in Harare on 19 June and were deployed on 23 June to all ten Provinces. The mission was joined by 44 short-term observers on 24 July 2018, as well as by a seven-person delegation from the European Parliament headed by Norbert Neuser MEP, from Germany. In addition, 26 locallyrecruited short-term observers from EU Member States accredited in Harare, also joined the mission. In total, the EU EOM deployed 140 observers from all 28 EU Member States (and Canada, Norway and Switzerland) across the country. On election day, observers visited over 600 polling stations in 154 of the 210 constituencies in all ten provinces of Zimbabwe to observe voting and counting. The EU EOM issued its preliminary statement in Harare on 1 August 2018 The EU EOM was independent in its findings and conclusions and adhered to the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation2. III. Political Background The 2018 Harmonised Elections were the first since the November 2017 events, which resulted in stepping down from power of the former President Robert Mugabe after 37 years in office. The elections offered the country the opportunity to break with the legacy of the past and the history of contentious elections marked by abuse of political and human rights and state-sponsored violence. Since his inauguration on 24 November 2017, the interim President and new leader of the ruling ZANU-PF, Emmerson Mnangagwa, stated his commitment to political and economic reforms and “free, fair and peaceful elections”. While the opening of political space prior the 1 The Peace Pledge Initiative signed up to by the political parties, including ZANU-PF and MDC-A, would also be an effective way to help the MPLCs in promoting inter-party dialogue and in addressing non-compliance with the Code. 2 The Declaration of Principles was signed at the United Nations in 2005. There are currently over 50 signatory organisations, representing both governmental and non-govenrmental institutions conducting international observation. The Declaration reflects best practices in observation and also outlines the respective rights and responsibilities, including a code of conduct, for international observers. 4