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IFES, Indian Election Commission Sign Agreement for Increased Global Collaboration

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Memorandum builds on existing partnership for dialogue and training in elections management

NEW DELHI — The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) today signed a memorandum of understanding deepening the organizations’ partnership in promoting democratic processes and good governance around the world.

The agreement was signed by IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney and ECI Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi at the ECI offices in New Delhi.

“The scale and quality of the ECI’s operations over the last 60 years makes it a unique model for other election management bodies,” said Sweeney. “IFES is excited to continue working with the ECI to build upon our current training efforts and explore new ways to share our resources.”

The partnership will draw on the ECI’s expertise in election management, technology implementation, and internal monitoring and evaluation practices, as well as IFES’ 25 years of experience in international electoral processes and research. Possible future activities outlined in the agreement include:

  • Continued collaboration on developing an international training curriculum through the International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIDEM), which was established in 2011 to exchange best practices in election management
  • Developing joint research, training and assistance initiatives designed to strengthen democratic institutions and processes
  • Coordinating exchanges and visits among elections management staff, practitioners and experts to share perspectives on common issues
  • Hosting international meetings, forums and events to promote dialogue on election management topics among democratic countries.

IFES has established similar cooperative agreements with other election management bodies, including South Korea, Mexico, Cambodia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These partnerships help IFES promote regional dialogue and exchange of resources in supporting electoral democracy.

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IFES is an independent, nonprofit leader in election assistance and democracy promotion. Since its founding in 1987, IFES has worked in over 135 countries, from developing to mature democracies.