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NEW PROJECT IN SUPPORT TO ELECTORAL INTEGRITY IN AFRICA

We are extremely proud to announce that, thanks to the contribution of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (IMFA), a new contract establishing an electoral support project has been signed.

“Pro-Electoral Integrity Project in Support to Electoral Integrity in Africa via the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the AUC” will be implemented in the upcoming months to support the African Union Commission (AUC) in building the resilience of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) and networks of EMBs to overcome challenging electoral contexts in order to effectively organize elections in accordance with national and international norms and standards

Pro-Electoral Integrity is financed via the Italian – African Peace Facility Agreement (IAPF). This agreement was signed in Lisbon in 2007, with the aim of supporting the African Union in promoting Peace and Security on the continent and intervening in conflict prevention, mediation, and resolution in Africa. The “PRO-Electoral Integrity” project shows its relevance as an instrument to support the achievement of shared objectives between the AUC, the Italian government, and ECES.

The Project aims to provide electoral integrity/legitimacy by strengthening the capacities of AU members States EMBs’ to conduct credible, transparent, peaceful, and sustainable elections, focusing on countries exiting from difficult political situations through:

  1. Supporting Civic and Voter Education programming and peace outreach activities in the AU Member States;
     
  2. Strengthening Member States’ political parties’ systems within Africa;
     
  3. Enhancing the capacities of the AU Election Observation Missions (AUEOM);
     
  4. Supporting  parliament members and parliamentary institutions;
     
  5. Strengthening electoral dispute resolution mechanisms and;
     
  6. Enhancing human rights, mainstreaming gender, enhancing women's political participation and inclusive action for marginalized groups in Africa’s electoral processes.

Our Founder and Executive Director Fabio Bargiacchi stated after the signing:

“I am very proud and honoured to see ECES once more entrusted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the support we received for the INNOV-Elections project in its three phases.

And I seize the opportunity to highlight the work done by the African Union Commission to promote democracy and good governance on the continent and we are thrilled to work together with the AUC in bringing our support to provide free, fair, inclusive, credible, and sustainable elections as well as preventing electoral related violence in countries exiting from complex political situations”.