Electoral Management Design Workshop in Luanda

6^th to 8^th December 2017

The UNDP Angola in partnership with the Angolan Institute for Electoral Systems and Democracy (IASED) and National Electoral Commission (CNE) organised a three-day BRIDGE Workshop on “Electoral Management Design” from 6^th to 8^th December 2017, in Luanda, Angola. The workshop was attended by 25 participants of Angolan national, drawn from the CNE at provincial and municipal levels, CSOS, political parties, government officials from Ministry of Territory Administration (the entity responsible for the conducting of voter registration).

Funded by the UNDP Angola, the workshop is part of technical assistance that UNDP Angola has been providing for Angolan electoral stakeholders to promote a vibrant democracy in the country. In preparation for the 23rd of August 2017 General Elections UNDP Angola provided technical assistance for civic and voter education, national observation and women’s political participation to the CNE and to the Angolan Electoral Observatory (OBeA), a platform of over 50 Angolan CSOs.

Building from the successful activities undertaken ahead of August 2017 polling, this workshop aimed to address some of the challenges identified in August and also to enable three nationals (BRIDGE Facilitators) to attain BRIDGE Accrediting level and provide Angola with capacity to train and accredit future BRIDGE trainees without a need for international BRIDGE experts.

The workshop was delivered by four facilitators, namely:

• Luís Jimbo, Workshop facilitator, IASED, Angola (Lead Facilitator)
• Celestino Setucula, Workshop facilitator, IASED, Angola;
• Miguel Ganga, Workshop facilitator, CNE, Angola;
• Zefanias Matsimbe, Accrediting facilitator, Consultant, Mozambique;

The workshop covered the following areas:

• Models and guiding principles of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs);
• Credibility matters and trust;
• Independence and EMB behaviour;
• Institutional culture;
• EMB and stakeholders;
• The sustainability and professionalism of an EMB;
• The role of an EMB in electoral reforms.

The course was preceded by two days of preparation, from 4^th to 5^th December 2017, during which the four facilitators undertook agenda drafting, selection of the contents, compiling of materials and resources, as well as addressing logistical issues.

The participants appreciated the training in terms of the content delivered, methodology and facilitation techniques applied by the facilitators. The training helped participants to understand their own EMB.

Upon successful completion of the course, the 25 participants received certificates of completion from the hands of the Director of UNDP Angola, Henrik Larsen{gallery}AngolaDec17{/gallery}