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Tweaking the Framework for Credible Elections

By Almami Cyllah and Skye Christensen  

The following article was produced and originally published by IFES (formerly the International Foundation for Election Systems) on July 10. Additional information on elections around the world is available on http://www.ifes.org/home.html.

In a move to become more financially independent from the government and build trust with stakeholders, the National Elections Commission of Liberia and IFES held an Electoral Democracy Training Conference with key stakeholders using the Bridge Curriculum.

One principal challenge facing any war torn country in building peace, addressing reconciliation and developing democracy and democratic principles is to understand they cannot be achieved on quick impact projects. Instead, it lies in the commitment and capacity of the leaders that emerge to bring together various stakeholders to undertake long term programs address mistrust and suspicions existing between and amongst the people.

Liberia, after almost 14 years of war held elections in October 2005 and a run-off presidential election in November of the same year. This election has been praised around the world as one of the most free and fair elections ever held on the African continent. The National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC) emerged as one of the most trusted institutions in the country with the commitment to develop and implement participatory democracy in the elections process. The NEC is determined to bridge the gap not only in communication from top to bottom and vice versa but also in giving the population the opportunity to make their voices heard and fully participate and exercise their democratic rights.

This is evident in the NEC and IFES' collaboration in taking advantage of the inter-election period to undertake various capacity building programs, reforms and planning. For example, the NEC enthusiastically undertook electoral management training for staff throughout the organization. Bridge trainings have become regular events, and since June 2007, the NEC conducted five courses to include approximately 50 percent of the Commission's permanent staff.

The NEC now uses the same tools to advocate for new reforms while promoting its independence. The NEC is a structurally independent Electoral Management Body (EMB) with a permanent technical and professional staff. However, its funding has traditionally been disbursed monthly by the Ministry of Finance. It has been a concern within the Commission that this allocation process causes inefficiencies in its ongoing activities due to funding delays and leaves the door open for influence by the Executive on the electoral administration.

To secure stakeholder support for this and other reforms, the NEC invited key electoral stakeholders to a conference in June in the port city of Buchanan. Participants came from major political parties, media, civil society, youth groups, government, and the legislature. The three-day agenda focused on the issue of electoral financing. The event also served as a venue for discussion of poignant electoral issues in the current context of Liberia, including the ongoing boundary harmonization process, upcoming local elections, public political financing, electoral system and constitutional reform. The Commission and IFES decided to use the content and methodology of the Bridge curriculum for the electoral stakeholders' conference. This would ensure they would benefit from the technical nature of the curriculum and from the interactive methodology the Commission expects from Bridge. Knowing some parties might be antagonistic, an interactive methodology was incorporated to break down tensions between groups. Indeed, groups that were antagonistic at the onset became understanding towards the end. Feed back was overwhelmingly positive.

The event also linked to a media campaign that allowed representatives of the parties, media, and civil society to communicate their feelings about the conference and what they gained from the three day event on various radio programs. Anecdotal evidence suggests the campaign was a success: "IFES?," said one attendant when we stopped for petrol before departure from Buchanan, "yes, this NEC, we want it independent fearlessly."

Almami Cyllah is Country Director for IFES in Liberia; Skye Christensen is Program Coordinator and Electoral Cycle Specialist for IFES' Africa Programs.

IFES' Programs in Liberia are made possible with the generous support of USAID.

Source: U.S. Department of State

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com