International IDEA and the African Union strengthen cooperation

International IDEA and the African Union (AU) Commission have signed an agreement committing to a five-year programme of joint activities to promote democracy and develop democratic institutions in Africa.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Accra, Ghana on 30 June 2007 during the African Union Summit by HE President Alpha Oumar Konare, Chair of the AU Commission and Mr Vidar Helgesen, International IDEA Secretary-General.

The MoU provides a detailed approach to consolidating democratic institutions in Africa including:

• Undertaking activities to create an awareness of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance, among AU Member States.
• The promotion of transparency, professional standards, and efficiency in democratic elections, and support for the AU’s electoral observation and monitoring activities.
• Adopting International IDEA’s State of Democracy Assessment methodology at national and local levels as a means of assessing democratic progress in the region.
• Assisting political parties in AU Member States to become representative, effective agents of democratic consolidation, and trusted by voters.
• Support to constitution building work in AU Member States to ensure that constitutional development assists the promotion of democracy, elections and good governance.
• Using the experience of AU members as examples of effective political reform.
• The mainstreaming of gender in democracy, development and governance.
• Support to conflict management and peace building processes.
• Collaboration with other regional organizations on democracy building.

The joint programme builds on International IDEA’s previous involvement with the AU, including its contribution to the development of the African Charter on Democracy, Governance and Elections, which was adopted earlier this year.