The methodology of the Pro-Electoral Integrity project is grounded in ECES’s electoral cycle support approach and in the African Union’s diplomacy and democratic governance frameworks. The project adopts a multi-dimensional and conflict-sensitive methodology that combines institutional strengthening, peer learning, technical electoral assistance, capacity development, and policy dialogue to promote electoral integrity and democratic resilience across Africa.

The project is implemented through a partnership between the African Union Commission’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (AUC-PAPS) and ECES under the 2021 Memorandum of Understanding, which focuses on promoting electoral integrity, preventing electoral violence, strengthening human rights, and enhancing the political participation of women and vulnerable groups.

Methodologically, the project follows two interconnected result areas: Conflict Prevention and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. Within these areas, the intervention combines preventive action, institutional accompaniment, and long-term democratic consolidation.

A central methodological component of the project is peer-to-peer institutional exchange among African Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs). Through Peer Learning and Exchange Missions organised together with the Association of African Election Authorities (AAEA), EMB chairpersons and senior electoral officials are deployed to countries holding elections in order to exchange experiences, provide technical advice, share comparative practices, and support fellow institutions during sensitive electoral periods. These missions are designed not only as observation exercises, but as solidarity and institutional resilience mechanisms that strengthen shared continental standards around electoral integrity.

The methodology also emphasises adaptive learning and institutional feedback mechanisms. The project foresees systematic review and follow-up processes aimed at capturing lessons learned from peer exchanges and refining the AU’s peer learning methodology over time. This allows the project to remain flexible and responsive to evolving political and electoral contexts across the continent.

Another key methodological pillar is tailored technical assistance to Electoral Management Bodies. ECES and AU experts deploy short-term technical missions customised to the operational needs of specific EMBs before electoral periods. These missions provide specialised expertise in areas such as electoral operations, electoral communication, media monitoring, social media analysis, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence applications for elections, and electoral conflict prevention. The support is adapted to national contexts and implemented through close collaboration with EMB personnel to ensure institutional ownership and sustainability.

In addition, the project uses educational and normative mainstreaming as a methodology for long-term democratic consolidation. Through the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) school curricula initiative, the project supports the development and piloting of pedagogical materials across African regions in order to institutionalise democratic values, constitutionalism, rule of law principles, and civic education within national education systems.

The project also incorporates dialogue-based and participatory methodologies through continental forums, high-level dialogues, and regional cooperation platforms involving AU institutions, regional economic communities, civil society, youth, women, and electoral stakeholders. These activities seek to foster collective ownership of democratic norms and strengthen regional cooperation on electoral governance and conflict prevention.

Finally, the methodology is strongly rooted in the AU principle of promoting African-led expertise, regional ownership, and intra-African cooperation in electoral governance. ECES supports this process through its EURECS methodology (“European Response to Electoral Cycle Support”), which emphasises electoral cycle support, leadership development, peer exchanges, mediation, and prevention of electoral conflicts.