We are pleased to announce the publication of the comparative study “Les Organes de Gestion des Élections des États Membres de la Commission de l’Océan Indien (COI)”, developed with the support of the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) as part of the broader efforts to strengthen electoral cooperation and peer learning across the Indian Ocean region.
The publication builds on an important milestone for electoral cooperation in the region: the creation of the Indian Ocean Electoral Network (REOI). Establishing a regional network bringing together the Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI) Member States had long been an aspiration of the region’s electoral commissions, an objective that ECES has actively supported over the years, including through the engagement of its Founder and Executive Director, Fabio Bargiacchi.
This ambition became a reality in October 2022 with the adoption of the Declaration of Mahé, which formally established the REOI and created a framework for enhanced cooperation, exchange of experiences and mutual learning among electoral institutions in the region.
This process was supported and consolidated within the framework of the Technical Assistance project “Gouvernance, Paix et Stabilité (GPS)”, funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), through which ECES has contributed to strengthening democratic governance, electoral cooperation and institutional capacities across the Indian Ocean region.
Against this background, ECES supported the preparation and publication of this new comparative study, which provides a comprehensive overview of the electoral management systems of the COI Member States and serves as a practical reference for electoral stakeholders, practitioners, researchers and partners interested in the region.
The study examines, among other aspects, the legal foundations and institutional status of Electoral Management Bodies; their relations with political parties and the media; the inclusiveness of electoral processes; and mechanisms for the management and resolution of electoral disputes.
By bringing this information together in a single comparative publication, the study facilitates a better understanding of the similarities and differences among the electoral systems of COI Member States. It also provides a valuable basis for peer learning, exchange of good practices and strengthened cooperation among the members of the REOI.
The publication therefore represents not only a reference document on electoral management in the Indian Ocean region, but also another concrete contribution to the institutionalisation of regional electoral cooperation initiated through the creation of the REOI.
