You are cordially invited to a conference on recent history and trends in election observation around the world. This public meeting will convene experts on elections in Africa, Latin America, and the former Soviet Union in order to review cases and recommend ways to maximize the effect of electoral observation missions.

Election Observation Missions: Making Them Count
 

Hosted by:

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
 

With the Support of:

American University

National Democratic Institute

Commonwealth Secretariat

United Nations

The Fund for Peace

Democracy International

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

Background

International election observer missions have become a critical element in building democracy; their very presence helps ensure that existing rules are followed. In exceptional cases, such as Ukraine, judgments by international election observer missions can lead to a new election. The 1999 Istanbul Summit Document of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) commits signatories to "follow up promptly" upon election assessments and recommendations. More often, however, there is little follow-up to the reports of Election Observation missions.

There is a growing awareness among the recognized, credible organizations involved in Election Observation concerning the need to develop more effective practices to ensure that recommendations by election observer missions be considered seriously, and when appropriate acted upon, following elections. There have been significant cases around the world where the role of observers had a tangible positive effect, most recently in Ukraine, both in the course of the election process and in post-election electoral reform.

Conference Agenda

8:15 am Registration
 

8:30 am Welcome
 

Howard Wolpe, Woodrow Wilson International Center
 

8:45 am Overview
 

Joe Clark, Diplomat-in-Residence, American University
 

9:00 am Panel I: Three Case Studies (Peru, Cameroon, Nigeria)
 

Chair: Pauline Baker, The Fund for Peace
 

Matt Dippell, National Democratic Institute

Diana Acha-Morfaw, National Elections Observatory, Cameroon

Peter Lewis, American University
 

10:15 am Coffee Break
 

10:30 am Panel II: Progress to Date and Issues for the Future
 

Chair: Carina Perelli, United Nations Electoral Assistance Unit

Eric Bjornlund, Democracy International

Gerald Mitchell, OSCE/ODIHR Elections Department

Patrick Merloe, National Democratic Institute

Christopher Child, Commonwealth Secretariat

Robert Pastor, American University
 

12:30 pm Plenary and Recommendations
 

Joe Clark, Diplomat-in-Residence, American University
 

1:15 pm Adjourn

Attendance

Attendance at this event will be free, but RSVP is requested as space may be limited.

This event will be webcast live via this site, beginning at 8:30 AM on Friday, April 29.