BRIDGE returns to Chad for Observation

As a component of the Promoting Elections, Accountability and Civic Engagement (PEACE) Project in Chad, the BRIDGE Workshop on Electoral Observation was held between the 8 and 9 of December 2011 in Dandi, Chad.

PEACE is a 2-year program funded by USAID to promote broader citizen participation in democratic processes through peaceful, free and fair legislative and presidential elections. Counterpart International, together with PEACE partners International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), and the Management Systems International (MSI), works closely with the Commission Électorale Nationale Indépendante (CENI) and the Bureau Permanent des Elections (BPE) to effectively administer electoral processes; improve the ability of civil society organizations (CSOs) to inform the public through elections and government accountability campaigns; and to increase the ability of electoral and civic institutions to resolve disputes and mitigate and manage election-related conflict.

The eighteen (18) participants were members from the CENI and the BPE, the main stakeholders of the electoral process in Chad who stayed at the Rock of Dandi Hotel for the purpose of the two (2) day BRIDGE workshop.

Following the Electoral Management Bodies request to implement this workshop ahead of the January elections, the BPE Executive Director expressed that the workshop will “allow a better understanding of all the actors who guarantee peaceful elections.” The workshop was facilitated by Eliane Torres and Raphael Ndayengenge.

The feedback from the participants included the following statements:

“Que la prochaine formation soit aussi satisfaisante.”

“L’ambiance de cette formation laisse un souvenir mémorable.”