The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) facilitated the participation of the delegation of the African Union Commission in the Convening Committee meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, held in New York City on 17–18 June 2025.
On 17–18 June 2025, the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) hosted the Convening Committee meeting for the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation in New York. The meeting brought together representatives of endorsing organizations and key stakeholders in the field of international election observation to discuss current challenges facing electoral integrity and the future of international observation methodologies.
Discussions focused on the evolving electoral environment, including the impact of disinformation, artificial intelligence, digital campaigning, political polarization, and increasingly restrictive operational contexts for election observation missions. Participants also exchanged views on strengthening cooperation among endorsing organizations and adapting observation methodologies to emerging technological and political realities.
The meeting formed part of the broader implementation process of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation (DoP), originally launched at the United Nations in 2005 and endorsed by more than fifty intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations worldwide. The Declaration establishes common principles and professional standards for credible, impartial, and independent international election observation.
The Convening Committee also prepared the agenda and priorities for the Twentieth Anniversary Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles, held later in 2025 in Geneva. Discussions emphasized the continued relevance of international election observation in promoting transparency, public confidence, and democratic governance amid a rapidly changing global electoral landscape.
Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, New York, United States of America, 11–14 November 2025
The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) facilitated the participation of the delegation of the African Union Commission in the Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, held in New York City from 11–14 November 2025.
Hosted under the framework of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation (DoP), the meeting gathered representatives of endorsing organizations, election experts, and international partners to review developments in the field of election observation and discuss collective responses to emerging challenges affecting democratic processes worldwide.
The discussions addressed key issues related to electoral integrity, including the increasing influence of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on electoral processes, the spread of disinformation and online manipulation, shrinking civic and political spaces, and security challenges faced by election observers in fragile contexts. Participants also exchanged experiences on strengthening observation methodologies, improving coordination among organizations, and enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of international election observation missions.
Particular attention was devoted to the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration of Principles, adopted at the United Nations in 2005, which continues to serve as a key normative framework for impartial, independent, and professional international election observation. The meeting provided an opportunity for endorsing organizations to reflect on the evolution of election observation over the past two decades and to identify priorities for future cooperation and methodological adaptation.
The Implementation Meeting reaffirmed the importance of multilateral collaboration in supporting transparent, inclusive, and credible electoral processes and highlighted the continued role of international election observation in promoting democratic governance and public confidence in elections worldwide.