ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS FORUM OF SADC COUNTRIES

Organisational Background

The Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries (ECF-SADC), is an independent organization in which each country of the SADC region is represented by its electoral management body. The ECF members include the electoral management bodies of 14 SADC countries- namely; Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe. The Forum has been in place since July 1998 and it has played an important role in ensuring that the management of elections in the SADC countries is improved and in building the capacity of election management bodies to fulfil their roles.

The ECF-SADC is governed by a Constitution to perform the following functions:

• To strengthen co-operation amongst Electoral Commissions in the SADC region;
• To promote conditions conducive to free, fair and transparent elections in the SADC region;

The Constitution provides for a membership fee and a structure that includes the Conference, the Executive Committee and the Secretariat. Article 6.7 provides for the election of office bearers as countries not as individuals with the President of the Forum elected by the conference and a Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson leading the Executive Committee and elected by the Executive Committee.

The Secretariat to the ECF-SADC is based in Gaborone, Botswana and it is housed by the Independent Electoral Commission of Botswana.

The ECF-SADC Programes and Projects

The Forum has become a well respected and recognised body, not only in SADC but continentally and beyond as an example of the important role that electoral management bodies play in the quest for sustainable democracy.

To achieve its aim the Forum, since its inception, has embarked on a broad range of projects and programmes which include regional workshops, the annual general conference, seminars and training programmes. Many of the programmes were groundbreaking such as the formulation and adoption of the Principles of Election Management, Monitoring and Observation, commonly referred to as PEMMO, and the design, development and implementation of an Election, Democracy and Conflict Management programme, both of which were joint ECF-EISA projects.

A brief overview of the projects undertaken by the Forum includes:

• The compilation of country profiles. This involved country audits on a country by country basis and provided valuable comparative data.
• Establishing an efficient information and technology system where funding was secured to develop new capacities and, improve communication and technology facilities in selected countries.
• Design and Implementation of a Conflict Management Programme
• Electoral Observation

The Forum has observed all parliamentary and/or presidential elections in SADC providing a detailed report with recommendations after each election.

• Developing Electoral Observation Guidelines and Principles the formulation of the EISA-ECF Principles for Election Management Monitoring and Observation in the SADC region (PEMMO) has become one of the recognised instruments with which to assess electoral observation.
• Establishing an Election Management Training Centre
  Exploring the design of an election management curriculum framework and piloted modules on the election process, recruitment and training and managing the electoral process
• Peer exchanges
  Members of the Forum have provided support and shared expertise by regular exchanges during and between elections.
• Establishment of Permanent Secretariat in 2005
  Since its inception, the ECF had the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) as its interim Secretariat until ECF established its own Secretariat in Botswana.
• Regional Workshop on Strengthening Civic and Voter Education in the SADC region( Botswana, 2005)
• Regional Workshop on Strengthening the Independence of EMBs in the SADC region ( Namibia, 2006)
• Development of Guidelines and Principles on the Independence of EMBs in the SADC region ( 2007)
• Regional Workshop on Elections, Freedom of Expression and Information in the SADC region ( Angola, 2007)
• Symposium to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Forum( Zanzibar, 2008)

Substainability

The ECF is essentially self-sustaining through the annual contributions by members.
Contact details: all correspondence to be addressed to:
Secretariat
C/o IEC Botswana
P/Bag 00284
Gaborone
Botswana
Tel: +267 3180012
Fax: + 267 3905205

email: hmodisane@gov.bw    or    lsesa@gov.bw