Peers Learning Mission to Gabon 2025

The peer learning mission of the Association of African Electoral Authorities (AAEA) to Gabon, conducted from 7 to 14 April 2025 in the context of the presidential election, brings together representatives of African electoral management bodies (EMBs), in collaboration with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) and the African Union. The mission involves presidents, commissioners, and senior electoral officials from Gabon, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Mauritania, Ghana, and Benin, as well as ECES experts, representatives of the African Union, and other stakeholders involved in the electoral process.

The mission is designed as a non-partisan initiative based on peer-to-peer exchange, aimed at promoting the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and best practices in electoral management. It also supports regional cooperation, notably through the establishment and strengthening of networks among electoral management bodies (EMBs), such as the emerging Central African EMB network.

Its main objective is to strengthen electoral integrity, institutional capacity, and the professionalism of participating electoral management bodies (EMBs) by fostering collaboration, mutual learning, and technical support. Participants take part in field visits, exchanges, document sharing, and peer review activities, thereby contributing to a shared understanding of electoral challenges and solutions, while supporting Gabon during a sensitive phase of democratic transition.

The mission forms part of the broader “Pro-Electoral Integrity” project, which aims to strengthen the resilience of electoral institutions in Africa, support credible and inclusive elections, and promote democratic governance, transparency, and conflict prevention across the continent.