AAEA members after the meeting
MEMBERS OF the executive committee of the Association of African Election Authorities (AAEA) have asked all regional and sub-regional bodies, civil society and the development community to partner them in pursuing and driving free, fair, and professional conduct of elections across the continent.
The AAEA, a platform that brings together heads of election management bodies in Africa to dialogue, share experiences, set standards, and exchange lessons and best practices in election management, said it remains committed to the professional, free and fair conduct of elections in the continent.
In a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day meeting held in Accra by the executive committee of the association, the AAEA indicated that the meeting came after the two-year period of dormancy necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The communiqué was jointly signed by all the five executive committee members, namely Jean Mensa, President of Executive Committee; Waf-Ula Chebukati, President, General Assembly; Rt. Rev. Carlos S. Matsinhe, Vice President, Executive Committee; Amadou Ba, Vice President, General Assembly; and Doudou Ndir, Representative of West Africa.
It explained that the meeting was held at the AAEA Secretariat at the head office of the Electoral Commission of Ghana in Accra during which members resolved to revive the Association’s activities in order to amplify its relevance and influence on the issues of election management that currently confront the continent.
The two-day meeting resolved to develop a medium-term strategic plan to guide the Association’s priorities and activities over the next three to five years.
“In this regard, members agreed on the broad lines of the strategy that will guide the development of the plan. The meeting also developed a short- to medium-term work plan to enable the Association achieve its mission of providing peer-to-peer support, knowledge-sharing and exchange over the short term,” the communiqué added.
The members also agreed to strengthen the capacity of members by creating a database that would provide members’ contact information and areas of competences.
“It was also agreed to offer targeted training and exchange learning programmes in areas of relevance to the membership,” it further explained, and added that the meeting again agreed to provide cost effective mechanisms such as webinars and other on-line means in the provision of capacity building.
“Members recognised information technology, social media, and digitalisation of electoral processes as areas where capacity building could be offered,” it noted, and added they had agreed to strengthen and diversify the Association’s funding base by reviving members’ subscriptions and identifying new funding partners.
They will also use the AAEA’s website to project the Association and its voice on issues on elections management in Africa, by regularly updating the website with relevant information.
The AAEA scheduled its next general assembly meeting in Mozambique, in November 2022.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu