Strengthening pan-African capacities for electoral observation and assistance

International IDEA and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) are implementing a 36-month European Union-funded project, titled – Strengthening Pan-African Capacities for Electoral Observation and Assistance (SPEC). 

The SPEC project was designed drawing on lessons learnt by International IDEA and EISA from over a decade of providing support to the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in electoral assistance and election observation. International IDEA and EISA will work together and in a complementary manner in the delivery of the objectives of this project. 

The project will work primarily with the following boundary partners: The Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (DPAPS) of the African Union Commission (AUC); The electoral support units or divisions of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) including the East Africa Community (EAC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Southern African Development Community (SADC), continental and regional networks and associations of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), and selected EMBs at national level. 
The overall objective of this project is to contribute to improved transparency and credibility of elections in Africa whilst contributing towards progress in the achievement of SDG 16.6 at the global level. 

The specific objective(s) are to support:
•    Continental, regional and national authorities to harmonise their approaches to electoral observation and demonstrate strengthened institutional capacities in electoral observation.
•    Continental, regional, and national authorities to demonstrate strengthened institutional capacities in electoral assistance provision in Africa.

The implementation approach of the SPEC project is to deliver capacity building initiatives through advisory services, technical assistance, training, peer learning, mentoring, development of knowledge products and development of digital tools.