Kenya will this week host the second biennial conference of the Commonwealth Electoral Network from 23-24 June 2014 in Nairobi.
Kenya will this week host the second biennial conference of the Commonwealth Electoral Network from 23-24 June 2014 in Nairobi.
The conference will bring together 59 electoral officials from 36 Commonwealth countries under the theme: ‘Managing Elections in the 21st Century: Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Electoral Integrity’.
The network was established in 2010 to provide a platform for peer-to-peer learning and support amongst election management bodies to enhance the integrity and credibility of elections across the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said: “The Commonwealth’s commitment to the network is recognition at global level of the pivotal role played by election management bodies in ensuring integrity of elections in member countries.
“Strong democracy is a strategic goal of the Commonwealth with the conduct of fair, credible and inclusive elections a marker of success. We look forward to deliberations over the coming days to consolidate the network, explore strategies to ensure electoral integrity and strengthen a sense of community amongst Commonwealth electoral management bodies.”
The conference will cover topics including institutional challenges faced by electoral management bodies; increasing citizen participation in elections; fostering relationships with stakeholders, including the media; and developing the next generation of electoral professionals. It will also receive and update on the Junior Election Professionals Initiative, which aims to increase the technical capacity of junior election professionals as well as their understanding of international election standards.
Ahmed Issack Hassan, Chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission of Kenya will take over as Chair of the Commonwealth Electoral Network from Marc Mayrand, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.
The last conference took place in 2012 in Toronto where the Commonwealth Electoral Network online collaboration workspace was launched. It provides a platform for the network to develop an international resource bank of good practice, expert knowledge and case studies to support improvements in electoral processes and governance.