Kigali, Rwanda 3 September 2019:  The Department of Political Affairs (DPA), the African Union Commission (AUC) convened the 2nd Annual Technical Coordination meeting between the AUC and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and regional networks of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) on 3-4 September 2019 in Kigali, Republic of Rwanda. 

The 2nd technical coordination meeting builds on the inaugural meeting held in April 2018 in Seychelles aimed at strengthening continental and regional synergies on electoral assistance to the Member States. During the first coordination meeting, the AUC and RECs networks of EMBs made a collective commitment to institutionalize and sustain this annual consultative engagement in order to foster the partnership on electoral support to the Member States.

Participants to the technical coordination meeting were drawn from the AUC-DPA, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC); Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries (ECF-SADC); and the East African Community (EAC). This preceded the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Association of African Electoral Authorities (AAEA) which is scheduled to take place on 4-5 September 2019. The two meetings are hosted by the National Electoral Commission of the Republic of Rwanda which holds the current presidency of the AAEA General Assembly. 

In his opening remarks, Dr. Khabele Matlosa, Director of Political Affairs of the AUC noted that, “since the inaugural technical coordination meeting, the partnership among AUC, RECs and Regional EMB Networks has grown in leaps and bounds. We have improved our collaboration in support of elections in the field. We have improved our communication. We collaborate better in delivering our electoral support to Member States more effectively and efficiently. Improved collaboration and partnership has also helped us utilise scarce resources more prudently”. 

Key recommendations emerging from the technical meeting will form part of policy deliberations during the AAEA Executive Committee meeting. In his welcome remarks, Professor Kalisa Mbanda, Chairperson of the National Electoral Commission of Rwanda and President of the AAEA General Assembly reminded the participants that both meetings offer “an opportunity to review what our continent needs, so that the reforms for governance and democracy in Africa advocated by our heads of state do not remain a mirage, but on the contrary, that each of our organizations plays its part in this effort that must be collective in order to bear fruit”.

Ultimately, the above initiatives seek to contribute to peaceful, democratic and credible elections in Africa. This is line with Agenda 2063, The “Africa We Want”, specifically Aspirations 3  and 4 of Agenda 2063 which envision “An Africa of good governance, democracy, and respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law” and ‘’peaceful and secure Africa’ respectively.
 

For more information please contact:

Guy Cyrille Tapoko,
Head, Democracy and Electoral Assistance
Department of Political Affairs
Email: tapokog@africa-union.org

Robert Gerenge
Principal Advisor to EMBs
Department of Political Affairs
Email: gerenger@africa-union.org