Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has commenced a two-week Election Management Training (EMT) Course 2023, which intends to bridge the capacity gap between Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) and the broad range of key electoral stakeholders.
Representatives of civil society organizations, political parties, government agencies, national/international organisations, regional economic communities, as well as traditional EMBs, commenced the course on Monday 26 June 2023, with the Deputy Commandant, KAIPTC – Air Commodore (A/Cdre) George Arko-Dadzie as the Guest of Honour.
A/Cdre Arko-Dadzie said the Training Centre of Excellence (TCE), which is dedicated to building capacity for peace support operations, including conflict management, peace and security, is convinced that enhancing capacity for facilitating and promoting the credibility and integrity of elections is a critical first step to preventing elections-related violence and for consolidating democracy on the African continent.
He continued that although national elections are now almost universal, with their benefits not always guaranteed, the risk of conflict continues to be a nagging concern, as questions about the credibility, free and fairness of the process persist.
He added that as highly technical as elections are, they are also very socio-political, with a myriad of factors and actors that influence the effectiveness or otherwise of the process, and to be credible, there needs to be high standards from beginning to end; for the technical proficiency, i.e. the administration of the process by itself, is not a sufficient guarantee for the uneventful outcome that is wished for.
The Deputy Commandant said the democratic terrain in Africa remains largely precarious and unpredictable with the lingering question of whether or not elections would always result in peaceful transition and alternations of power, or whether they will become triggers for conflict and violent upheavals.
“The failure or ineffectiveness of the electoral process is generally attributed to the lack of professionalism and proficiency of the traditional EMBs due to the central role they play as election administrators. As a result, much of the effort at enhancing the efficiency of the electoral process has tended to focus on the training of EMBs”, he stated.
He averred that to improve the integrity and effectiveness of the process, the critical relationship between the technical and socio-political dimensions of elections must of a necessity, be taken into account in order to build the capacity of both dimensions.
He concluded that that is the rationale that informs the TCE’s decision to offer a training course in Election Management, although it does not yet have donor support for this course, but for Norway support through the Core Funds of KAIPTC.
The participants for the two-week training from Cameroon, la Cote d’Ivoire, Germany, Ghana, Nigeria, Serbia, Senegal, and Somalia, are being trained by crack experts like Mrs Pauline Dadzawa – former Commissioner of Ghana’s EMB, Dr Serebuor Quaicoe and Dr Yaw Adjei Ofori-Adjei of Ghana’s EMB, Mr Albert Arhin of Ghana’s Coalition of Domestic Election Observers, Dr Evans Aggrey-Darkoh of Ghana’s Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, and Brigadier General Benjamin Amoah-Boakye – Director General of Ghana Armed Forces Legal Department.
