Previously, last week, the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) has rolled out a nationwide series of cascade training activities in support of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) as part of the preparations for Ethiopia’s 7th General Elections scheduled for June 2026. The trainings are implemented under the EURECS II project, funded by the European Union and German Cooperation through KfW Development Bank (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau) and form a central component of ECES’ long-term technical assistance to Ethiopia’s electoral process.
The cascade training programme is designed to strengthen the operational preparedness, professional conduct and technical capacity of election officers deployed at all levels of the electoral administration. Through a structured and sequential approach, ECES, in close coordination with NEBE, is supporting the transfer of legal, procedural, and operational knowledge from national level experts to regional, constituency, and polling-station officials across the country. The trainings cover critical stages of the electoral cycle, including the induction of constituency officers, voter registration processes, voting and counting procedures, as well as results tabulation, reconciliation, and verification.
By adopting a cascade methodology, the programme ensures consistency in the application of electoral legislation and operational directives nationwide while allowing flexibility to respond to regional and linguistic contexts. Training sessions place strong emphasis on practical learning, combining technical instruction with simulations and hands-on exercises that reflect the realities faced by election officers in the field. Training materials are jointly developed and validated by ECES and NEBE and delivered in several local languages to ensure accessibility and effective comprehension.
A core focus of the initiative is to reinforce professionalism, impartiality, and accountability throughout the electoral administration. The trainings aim to equip election officers with the skills and ethical standards required to carry out their duties in line with the amended electoral legal framework, including the increasing use of technology in election operations and the proper handling of electoral complaints and grievances. By strengthening capacity at scale, the programme contributes to improving the quality and credibility of pre-election, election-day, and post-election processes.
This nationwide training effort reflects ECES’ continued commitment to supporting NEBE in delivering inclusive, transparent, and credible elections. Through the EURECS II project, ECES remains engaged in providing targeted technical support that enhances institutional resilience, promotes public confidence in electoral processes, and contributes to democratic governance in Ethiopia.
