Africa

For the past thirty years, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has worked in over 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, a continent with unique challenges and multiple different political contexts. From Nigeria to Kenya and Liberia to Guinea, IFES programming seeks to advance good governance and democratic rights by providing technical assistance to election officials; empower the underrepresented to participate in the political process; and apply field-based research to improve the electoral cycle.

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Election Snapshot

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Elections in Nigeria: 2023 General Elections IFES provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ahead of the Nigerian general elections on February 25 and March 11. February 14, 2023

News and Updates Feature

Hands preparing traditional Ethiopian coffee Ceremony with cups and steaming pot.

Brewing Peace on a University Campus in Ethiopia Through the People Against Violence Everywhere (PAVE) project—implemented by Ethiopia Law School Association (ELSA) through technical and financial support from USAID/IFES—students engage in community peacebuilding and organized coffee ceremonies, January 30, 2023

News and Updates Feature

Success Story Nigeria

Blind Voters in Osun State Get Greater Access to Assistive Devices IFES Sucess Story: Greater access to assistive equipment for blind voters in Nigeria October 4, 2022

News and Updates Press Release

IFES and IEBC Partner to Fight Hate During Kenyan Election The International Foundation for Electoral Systems and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of Kenya have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen IEBC’s monitoring of hate speech related to Kenya’s upcoming General Election. July 29, 2022

News and Updates Press Release

IFES Collaborates with Deaf Persons’ Associations to Develop First Sign Language Electoral Lexicon in Senegal As part of the USAID Elections Support Program in Senegal, implemented by CEPPS, IFES is working with election management bodies to enhance their communications practices to be more inclusive of traditionally underrepresented groups. July 29, 2022

Elections in Senegal: 2022 Legislative Elections On Sunday, July 31, Senegalese voters will have the opportunity to vote for representatives to fill 165 seats in the National Assembly for five-year terms. July 25, 2022

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Event: Rapid Response Programs in the Gambia Members of the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) have been working with Gambian stakeholders under the challenging circumstances of the old regime, and have now mobilized with new, targeted, rapid response initiatives to ensure the country is supported in its ambitions of freedom moving forward. CEPPS cordially invites you to a roundtable discussion on how the consortium partners design and implement complementary rapid response initiatives and will highlight lessons emerging in the wake of the Gambia’s transition.

June 8, 2017 3:00 PM EDT

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Assessing Nigeria’s 2019 Elections Through a National Post-Election Survey IFES is pleased to invite you to an event on December 10 at IFES headquarters, where the results of the post-2019 nationwide public opinion survey will be presented alongside discussions of developments in the Nigerian electoral process.

December 10, 2019 9:30 AM EST

IFES Mentions

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Semafor "One Good Text" at the Summit for Democracy From Lusaka, IFES CEO and President Tony Banbury discusses what the U.S. and Zambia share in their experiences of democracy. March 29, 2023

Actualite Five questions to Theophilus Dowetin (IFES) on the low participation of women in recruitment operations Theophilus Dowetin, IFES's Democratic Republic of the Congo country director, discusses the enrollment of women voters ahead of the general election later this year. February 28, 2023

Al Jazeera Nigeria election 2023: Five reasons to care about the vote IFES Country Director for Nigeria, Seray Jah, speaks to Al Jazeera on the 2023 Nigerian General Elections. February 23, 2023

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