Egypt&UNDP-Elections Prepared

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In Cairo, Egypt UNDP held 2 day session of more than 50 experts from North Africa, Middle East, India, Mexico and South Africa to help establish the means and conduct elections in Arab states currently moving toward emerging democracies.

The United Nations Develpoment Programme’s (UNDP) yesterday (2 May) opened a two-day meeting in Cairo, Egypt, of more than 50 experts from Arab states and from India, Mexico and South Africa to help conduct fair and transparent elections in the North African and Middle Eastern countries currently undergoing social transformations.

The group, called Community of Practice on Electoral Assistance for the Arab Region, also brings together experts working at national electoral bodies and civil society organizations from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and the occupied Palestinian territory to exchange experiences on how to ensure electoral credibility.

Governance specialists from 13 UNDP country offices in the region also discussed election support programmes with groups such as the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Al Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center (Tunisia), and The Center for Parliamentary Studies of Cairo University (Egypt).

Participants looked at the importance of broadening electoral assistance to include areas such as legislative reform; independence and professionalism of electoral management bodies; systems to ensure credibility of elections; women's active participation and voter and civic education.

The meeting highlighted examples of cooperation between developing countries and intra-regional cooperation in electoral assistance, particularly from India, Mexico and South Africa, and explored their relevance to the current transition in Arab countries, as well as UNDP’s role in promoting such cooperation.

Directors:

• Muhamed Sacirbey UNTV-UNDP

Producers:

• Susan Sacirbey