IFES supported Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) in hosting an international conference of regional election administrators in Singhaghi from February 9-11.   The event brought together Georgian election commissioners with top-ranking election officials from Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Latvia; Lithuania; Macedonia; Romania; Slovenia; and Ukraine. The conference resulted in enhanced personal and professional relations between election administrators, and strengthened multilateral relations between regional election management bodies (EMBs).  EMB representatives discussed lessons learned from recent elections, new election codes being introduced in the region, and the structure and responsibilities of EMBs.  

IFES’ Program Manager for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Anthony Bowyer, delivered a presentation on strategic areas of intervention for regional cooperation in elections. At the conclusion of the conference it was agreed that, in coming weeks, EMBs will sign a protocol setting out what had been agreed in terms of future cooperation. IFES consultant Charles Lasham was tasked to draft the protocol. 

This conference was part of IFES’ work under USAID’s Increased Trust in Electoral Processes program.