The 26th Annual General Conference (AGC) of Electoral Commission Forum of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries in December 10th to 12th, 2024 in Seychelles hosted by the Seychelles Electoral Commission held under the theme Digitalization and Youth participation in electoral processes in the SADC region.

As part of the European Centre for Electoral Support’s (ECES), Pro-Electoral Integrity project, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ECES is attending the conference with the participation of Fabio Bargiacchi, Founder & Executive Director; Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira, Vice President; and Madjiguene Thiam, Head of Programmes and Resource Mobilisation & Parliamentary and Electoral Process Support Porject (PAPPE), Chad Project Coordinator. During the event, we will also present the Comparative Study on Election Management Bodies of the Member States of the Indian Ocean Commission.

This year, the AGC will be attended by Chairpersons, Commissioners and senior election officials from 15 election management bodies of the SADC countries and will be held under the theme Digitalization and Youth participation in electoral processes in the SADC region. Through this theme, Electoral Commissions will discuss and consider key trends, challenges, and potential solutions to emerging challenges and opportunities presented by the growing wave of digitalisation in electoral processes and engagement of the region’s specific youthful population.

The Annual General Conference (AGC) is the supreme making body of the Electoral Commissions Forum of the SADC countries. The AGC will be attended by Chairpersons, Commissioners and senior election officials from 15 election management bodies of the SADC countries. The Forum has been in place since July 1998, and it has played an important role in ensuring that the management of elections in the SADC countries is improved and in building the capacity of election management bodies to fulfil their roles.