You are invited to the opening session of a workshop for new chairpersons, commissioners and chief electoral officers of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region at Election House in Centurion, on 26 September 2012. The session will be followed by a media briefing which will be addressed by Advocate Pansy Tlakula, Chairperson of the IEC South Africa and current President of the SADC ECF. At least 40 delegates representing Electoral Commissions of 12 countries are expected to attend this programme.
The workshop which is hosted by the Electoral Commissions’ Forum of SADC countries (SADC ECF), the United Nations Development Programme in South Africa (UNDP), the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), will take place from 26 to 28 September 2012.
The keynote address by Judge Johann Kriegler, former Chairperson: IEC South Africa and an authority on international elections, will focus on the challenges facing new election commissioners in Africa.
The three-day workshop is aimed at discussing principles and good practices in the electoral democracy field by newly appointed electoral commissioners and chief electoral officers. Furthermore, the workshop will enhance peer learning and networking among ECF EMB members. The overall goal of the programme is to enhance the credibility and capacity of SADC EMBs to promote transparent, credible and peaceful elections.
Apart from the participation of SADC EMBs, an invitation has also been extended to new members and staff of the Kenyan EMB to share their experiences and learn from their SADC peers.
The workshop will comprise theoretical and practical sessions based on the BRIDGE (Building Resources in Elections, Democracy and Governance) electoral training methodology which is highly participatory and interactive. Speakers, facilitators, and resource persons will be drawn from eminent personalities with extensive knowledge and experience of election management in the region, and also BRIDGE accredited trainers with vast electoral experience.
Details for opening session and media briefing:
Date: Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Time: 9h00 - 11h15
Venue: Election House, 2nd Floor, Riverside Office Park, 1303 Heuwel Avenue, Centurion.
Draft programme
Development programme for new electoral commissioners and senior managers in the SADC region
Event: Opening Sesseion
Date: Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Venue: Election House, Riverside Office Park, 1303 Heuwel Avenue, Centurion
Programme Director: Brian Kagoro, Acting Governance Practice Leader, UNDP Regional Service Centre for Eastern and Southern Africa
| Time | Activity | Speaker |
| 9h00 - 10h30 | Welcome and Opening Remarks | Adv. Pansy Tlakula, Chairperson; IEC South Africa and outgoing President of the ECF SADC |
| Remarks | Amb Mustaq Moorad, Regional Director, Africa Programme, International IDEA | |
| Remarks | Gerd Trogemann, Manager, UNDP Regional Service Centre for Eastern and Southern Africa | |
| Keynote Address: Challenges facing new election commissioners in Africa, including corporate governance | Justice Johann Kriegler, former Chair of IEC South Africa, International Elections Expert | |
| Discussant | Prof Karuti Kanyinga, Director, South Consulting, Kenya | |
| 10h30 - 11h15 | Media Briefing and Interviews |
Lydia Young
Cell: 082 650 8652
