Election management bodies from across Africa concluded the 10th Annual Continental Forum of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on Tuesday after discussions focused on expanding electoral participation for citizens living abroad and strengthening cooperation among electoral authorities across the continent.
Held under the theme “Diaspora Voting: Progress, Gaps and Prospects,” the forum brought together representatives of the vast majority of Africa’s EMBs, regional electoral networks and international organizations to exchange experiences on extending voting rights to citizens residing abroad.
In his remarks, Ahmed Bandari, Executive Director of Egypt’s National Election Authority (NEA), said delegates praised Egypt’s experience in facilitating overseas voting, describing it as a model for enabling citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote regardless of where they live.
Bandari said participants agreed that empowering citizens to vote both inside and outside their home countries contributes to stronger democratic governance and more inclusive electoral processes across Africa.
He continued: “Egypt showcased its experience through a presentation outlining the mechanisms used to organize overseas voting before representatives from more than 55 African countries and around 100 participants.”
Bandari further noted that both African and international delegates welcomed Egypt’s coordination model, particularly the cooperation between the NEA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in identifying Egyptian communities abroad and establishing polling stations.
The forum was jointly organized by the African Union Commission (AUC), the Association of African Election Authorities (AAEA) and the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) under the PRO-Electoral Integrity Project, with support from Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The annual gathering serves as one of the African Union’s flagship electoral governance platforms, promoting peer learning, institutional cooperation and the exchange of best practices to strengthen electoral integrity, democratic governance and credible elections across the continent. The forum will be followed by the General Assembly of the Association of African Election Authorities on July 8.
