IDEA organises a BRIDGE TtF in Pretoria South Africa in October 2009

Pretoria played host to the BRIDGE TtF at the most beautiful time of year when the purple Jacaranda trees are blooming and the city is glowing.

Twenty participants from 10 countries participated in the workshop. Half of them were women. The countries represented were:

1. Austria

2. Cameroon

3. Lesotho

4. Malawi

5. Mauritius

6. Seychelles

7. South Africa

8. Swaziland

9. Zambia

10. Zimbabwe

Most of the participants were from EMBs with two exceptions representing respectively the Democracy and Electoral Assistance Unit of the African Union and EISA. The combination of different country experiences and cultures added a lot to the success of the workshop. Participants exchanged lots of information, experiences and practices among themselves and with the facilitators as well.

Four BRIDGE facilitators participated in the preparation and delivery of this workshop:

1. Margot Gould (International IDEA – Australia)

2. Alexandra Hovelacque (Consultant – France)

3. Ossama Kamel (Consultant - Egypt)

4. Sibongile Zimemo (Consultant - South Africa)

The certificate ceremony at the end of the workshop was hosted by the South Africa Independent Electoral Commission at its headquarters in Pretoria. The ceremony was attended by the Deputy CEO and Vice Commissioner.

The project is funded by a generous grant from the Australian Government through AusAID. AusAID is a strong supporter of BRIDGE in Africa as well as in other parts of the world.