7th Annual Continental Forum of Election Management Bodies (EMBs)

Within the context of the Italian-funded Pro Electoral Integrity, financed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, through the Italian – African Peace Facility (IAPF) instrument, we have supported the African Union Commission (AUC) in organising the 7th Annual Continental Forum of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) on 14-15 November 2022 in Maputo, Mozambique as well as the General Assembly of the Association of African Electoral Authorities (AAEA), on 16 November 2022, hosted by the Electoral National Commission (CNE) of Mozambique.

Almost 130 people participated in the 7th Annual EMBs Forum, included chairs person and other senior officials of EMBs from all AU Member States, the AUC Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, members of the Association of African Electoral Authorities, Regional Economic Communities networks of EMBs, International Organizations in the electoral field, Civil Society Organisations and academia working in the elections field and another key democratic governance actors.

The theme of the forum, “Building resilience of election management bodies to safeguard democracy in Africa” with the goal to reflect the current complexity of the political, sociocultural, technological, economic, legal, security and ecological situations. These contexts constitute a significant challenge for EMBs to organise free, transparent and democratic elections in accordance with both international and continental standards.

Ms Ana Comoana, Mozambican Minister of State Administration and Public Service officially opened the forum after the welcome remarks delivered by Rev Carlos Matsinhe, Chairperson of the National Electoral Commission of Mozambique and the statement by Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and our founder and Executive Director, Fabio Bargiacchi.

The discussion revolved around 7 main thematic areas, namely:

Diagnosing the challenge of EMBs resilience in Africa;
Safeguarding institutional longevity: confronting the problem of high turnover of EMB leadership in Africa;
Promoting gender in EMB leadership: experiences of women chairpersons of EMBs in Africa.
Overcoming economic challenges through sustainable financing of EMBs.
Developing sustainable risk-mitigation strategies for addressing the ecological impact on election management.
Addressing electoral security and cyber-security to safeguard electoral integrity in Africa.
Let’s talk elections 2023: challenges ahead and exploring strategies to foster resilience in election management

During the first session, the Founder and Executive Director of ECES, Fabio Bargiacchi, presented on EMBs: Examining Internal Institutional Challenges to Strengthening Resilience in Election Management in Africa. It was also the opportunity to launch the ECES publication titled: Strategic Planning for the Electoral Management Bodies: using Quality Management Principles.

8th Annual Continental Forum of Electoral Management bodies

The European Centre for Electoral Support reiterates its commitment to supporting stakeholders in the organisation of elections in EMBs, said Mr Fabio Bargiacchi, Founder and Executive Director of ECES, in his opening speech at the 8th annual continental forum of Electoral Management Bodies, held on 1 and 2 November in Cotonou.

In the same vein, Mr Bargiacchi recalled the electoral assistance provided by ECES in more than 50 countries, mainly in Africa and the Middle East, thanks to funding from the European Union and its Member States, as part of its strategy entitled "A European response in support of the electoral cycle - EURECS".

"The importance of this conference cannot be overstated. We are honoured to contribute to the eighth annual AU EMB continental forum by exploring ways to strengthen the relationship between EMBs and stakeholders through effective strategic communication," he said.

According to him, ECES' collaboration with the African Union Commission has been consolidated, in particular, by the memorandum of understanding signed in May 2020 with Commissioner Bankole, aimed at strengthening the collective commitment to electoral integrity, conflict prevention, human rights and the political empowerment of women.

This memorandum of understanding, it should be remembered, has made it possible to launch the 'Pro Electoral Integrity' in Africa project, generously supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

In the same vein, our executive director stressed the importance of ECES' partnership with the Association of African Electoral Authorities, which is a vital platform linking 48 heads of EMBs in Africa for mutual learning, peer exchanges and the sharing of best practices. As part of this partnership, ECES contributed to the drafting of the AAEA guidelines on communication and social media, and the deployment of AAEA solidarity missions to the Liberia National Electoral Commission for the recent 12 October elections, and to the Kenya Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in 2022 for the 9 August elections.

In the wake of the 8th continental forum, the ECES Director stressed that this theme resonates deeply with the ECES vision. "Effective communication by EMBs is essential to cultivate trust and foster a peaceful climate between all stakeholders. And the role of communication and the media in building public confidence in electoral processes and EMBs is undeniably vital," he stressed. He reiterated, once again, ECES' commitment to collaborate with the AU, the AAEA and all African EMBs. He also listed the tools that ECES has developed with its long-standing partner Democracy Essentials through the development of the Global Election Management System (GEMS), which enables the ultimate goal of informed decision-making in election management.

9th Annual Continental Forum of Election Management Bodies (EMBs)

The African Union Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (DPAPS) of the African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the Association of African Electoral Authorities (AAEA) with the support of the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), organised the 9th Annual Continental Forum of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) on 12th and 13th March 2025 in Accra, Ghana.

The forum convened under the theme: “All Votes Count: Addressing the Problem of Invalid or Rejected Ballots in Africa”. The theme seeks to address the increasing incidence of invalid or rejected ballots in elections on the continent over a period of time, which is notably above the global average. At the center of this entrenched problem is the elusive choice for voters to elect their leaders.

The forum was the ninth in a row, is one of the flagship policy platforms of the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) of the AUC aimed at promoting good governance and participatory democracy through fostering peer-learning and harnessing lesson-learning in election management on the continent of Africa and also part of the PAPS’ overall strategy on electoral assistance to the Member States in line with the mandate bestowed upon the AUC under Article 18 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

Ghana, 2025

The General Assembly of the Association of African Electoral Authorities (AAEA) was held on March 15^th 2025 in Accra, Ghana. The event brought together representatives of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from across the African continent to discuss key priorities related to electoral governance and integrity.

The meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening coordination and peer-to-peer cooperation among EMBs in order to enhance institutional resilience, electoral integrity, and democratic governance across the continent. Discussions also emphasized the value of regional solidarity and experience-sharing in addressing common electoral challenges, including political instability, security risks, technological developments, and operational constraints affecting election administration in Africa.

The European Centre for Electoral Support provided technical and operational support to the General Assembly, including logistics, visibility, accommodation, translation, interpretation, and meeting coordination. This support is part of ECES’ continued collaboration with the African Union Commission and the AAEA, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aimed at reinforcing the capacities and institutional sustainability of African electoral authorities and promoting a common culture of democratic governance and electoral integrity across the continent.

Benin, 2023

The General Assembly of the Association of African Electoral Authorities (AAEA) was held on 3 November 2023 in Cotonou, Benin, and hosted by the Commission Électorale Nationale Autonome (CENA) of Benin. The event brought together representatives of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from across the African continent to discuss key priorities related to electoral governance and integrity.

The AAEA General Assembly received support from the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) within the framework of initiatives supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, notably through the Innov-Elections Phase III project and the first phase of the Pro-Electoral Integrity project.

During the General Assembly, participants approved and signed the “Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Digital and Social Media in Elections in Africa.” The document was adopted as an important reference framework aimed at guiding EMBs in the management and use of digital and social media during electoral periods. The principles were designed to support electoral institutions in addressing the opportunities and challenges posed by the increasing influence of digital communication in electoral processes.

The General Assembly also provided an opportunity for EMB representatives to exchange experiences and reinforce cooperation among African electoral authorities in promoting credible, transparent, and peaceful elections across the continent.

Mozambique, 2022

The General Assembly of the Association of African Electoral Authorities was held on 16 November 2022 in Maputo, Mozambique, and hosted by the Electoral National Commission (CNE) of Mozambique. The General Assembly followed the 7th Annual Continental Forum of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and brought together representatives of electoral authorities from across the African continent to discuss institutional cooperation and the strengthening of electoral governance mechanisms in Africa.

The General Assembly served as an important platform for the renewal of the governing structures of the AAEA and for reinforcing collaboration among African Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs). During the meeting, members elected a new leadership for the Association, with the CNE of Mozambique assuming the Presidency of the General Assembly and Libya elected as Vice-President. Regional representation within the Association was entrusted to Benin for West Africa, Tunisia for North Africa, Malawi for Southern Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo for Central Africa, and Kenya for East Africa.

The meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening coordination and peer-to-peer cooperation among EMBs in order to enhance institutional resilience, electoral integrity, and democratic governance across the continent. Discussions also emphasized the value of regional solidarity and experience-sharing in addressing common electoral challenges, including political instability, security risks, technological developments, and operational constraints affecting election administration in Africa.

The European Centre for Electoral Support provided technical and operational support to the General Assembly, including logistics, visibility, accommodation, translation, interpretation, and meeting coordination. This support is part of ECES’ continued collaboration with the African Union Commission and the AAEA, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aimed at reinforcing the capacities and institutional sustainability of African electoral authorities and promoting a common culture of democratic governance and electoral integrity across the continent.