Africa & West Asia

FEATURED

Taking stock of regional democratic trends in Africa and the Middle East before and during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has regressed key aspects of democracy in Africa and the Middle East, including the disruption of electoral processes, restrictions on civil liberties like freedom of expression, and increasing persecution of opposition leaders and parties. The pandemic has hit the region at a time in which the significant advances of democracy in the last decades were coming to a halt.

These are the findings from the Taking Stock of Regional Democratic Trends in Africa and the Middle East Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic International IDEA report.

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The Africa and West Asia region is undergoing constant change. Some countries in the region are moving towards multi-party elections that are mostly free, fair and peaceful.

However, democracy faces several considerable challenges, and in some areas, problems are resurfacing after a period of improved conditions. Problems that concern the entire region include weak political institutions, the underrepresentation of women in political life and limited media freedom.

What's Going On

Jun
18
2021

Image credit: Office of the Prime Minister - Ethiopia

Image credit: Office of the Prime Minister - Ethiopia

Commentary

Ethiopia's encumbered elections

Jun
14
2021

"North Darfur Woman Votes in Sudanese National Elections" by United Nations Photo is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

"North Darfur Woman Votes in Sudanese National Elections" by United Nations Photo is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Commentary

A case for continued election observation in Africa

Jun
09
2021

From left: Rumbidzai Kandawasvika-Nhundu, Senior Advisor on Democracy and Inclusion at International IDEA, H.E. Ambassador Riadh Ben Sliman, Embassy of Tunisia to Sweden and Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, the Secretary-General of International IDEA.

From left: Rumbidzai Kandawasvika-Nhundu, Senior Advisor on Democracy and Inclusion at International IDEA, H.E. Ambassador Riadh Ben Sliman, Embassy of Tunisia to Sweden and Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, the Secretary-General of International IDEA.

News Article

Virtual training with Tunisian diplomats

May
31
2021

Image credit: International IDEA

Feature Story

International IDEA Organized the First Electoral Reforms Advocacy Round Table in Sudan’s Northern State

May
30
2021

Event

Project Article 49 Final Conference: Working Towards a New Era in the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Tunisia

May
27
2021

Image credit: James Cullen @ flickr

Commentary

Mind the (Funding) Gap! Reflections on political finance to promote inclusive democracy

Databases & Tools

Database

ICTs in Elections Database

Learn the global patterns of usage of ICTs in elections and the problems and challenges countries are facing today...

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Tool

Youth Democracy Academy

YDA is designed to ensure that young people, too often marginalized from political processes, are equipped with...

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Social Media Activity

Country & Regional Support

African Union Commission

Our office in Addis Ababa works closely with the African Union (AU).

We formalized our relationship with the AU Commission in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Accra, Ghana, on 30 June 2007 during the African Union Summit. We actively contributed to the development of the AU Charter as well as the establishment of the AU's electoral assistance programme, and the electoral assistance fund. International IDEA and the AU have also collaborated in areas such as the land and governance, gender, and in political party strengthening.

Tunisia

Our office in Tunis has provided assistance to the Tunisian effort to organize free and fair elections.

More specifically, we were was asked to comment on the draft electoral law while it was still at a confidential stage. We equip societies by acknowledging respect for women’s political rights, supporting women in parliament and engaging electoral management bodies and citizens in the use of our tools and workshops.

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MOZAMBIQUE

The ”Support to Consolidation of Democracy in Mozambique” is a five-year programme, which is funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Austrian Development Agency. The programme seeks to support consolidation of democracy by reinforcing the fairness, transparency and credibility of the electoral processes and strengthening capacities of the elected representatives and their democratic institutions. Interventions planned foresee to give support to the electoral cycles, also with a specific focus on gender participation.

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Sudan

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and the government of the Republic of Sudan have signed a memorandum of understanding that establishes a framework for International IDEA to provide assistance to Sudan’s democratic transition.

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Fostering national dialogue

We contribute to ongoing national dialogues surrounding democracy in the region.

We were invited to work with the national dialogue committee in Jordan, including on the development of a new electoral law, a new political parties law and some constitutional amendments in conjunction with the constitutional reform committee. Additionally, we broadened our number of contacts with the national dialogue committee in Morocco. Our representatives continue to provide support across the region for the constitutional building and revision processes.

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African Union

Africa & West Asia

What's Going On

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Country & Regional Support

African Union Commission

Tunisia

MOZAMBIQUE

Sudan

Fostering national dialogue

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