I am participating in a UNDP study on the Relations between Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) and observers. I believe such study will fill a void, as there are several important analysis and policy recommendations concerning how observers should conduct their analysis and how they should relate to the EMBs, but none that focus the problem from the other angle: the behavior of EMBs in relation to observers. You will find below a short description of the study.

Since your organization is a member of the Global Network of Domestic Elections Monitors (GNDEM), I would be most interested in getting in touch with the person in charge of activities related to electoral observation, as I am sure the experience of your organization will greatly benefit the study. I would very much appreciate if you can provide me with the name and Email address of such person, and/or if you can ask her/him to contact me through the Email address indicated below.

Thanking you in advance,

Horacio Boneo (former Director of the UN Electoral Assistance Division)
hboneo@hotmail.com

STUDY ON THE RELATIONS BETWEEN ELECTORAL MANAGEMENT BODIES AND OBSERVERS

UNDP Africa is undertaking a study on the Relations between Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) and observers, centering in the case of Africa. Such study will fill a void as there are quite a few analysis and policy recommendations concerning how observers should conduct their analysis and how they should relate to the EMBs, but few that focus the problem from the other angle: the behavior of EMBs in relation to observers.

The empirical work will be conducted from two specific angles. First, there will be a number of country studies from the region which will involve an in-depth diachronic approach, including analysis of the legal framework (as it refers to observation) and the EMB approach to the management of the relations with observers. Eleven cases have been preliminary selected, largely on the basis of advice received from experienced colleagues: Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Côte d’Ivoire, Congo (DRC), Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Mozambique, Angola and Mauritius.

The second angle assumes that relations between EMBs and observers can be characterized as a succession of “points of contact” that take place during the observation of the several phases of an electoral cycle. There are tensions and possibilities of problems in each of these “points of contact”, and the study will try to identify the way in which they were handled by different EMBs. We plan to collect examples of both good and inadequate practices at a later stage, on the basis of short questionnaires to persons with significant experience on the subject.