About the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC Countries

(launched in 1998)

Structure and composition

The Forum Constitution establishes three main organs of the Forum:

1. The Conference, a supreme policy-making body which meets at least once a year
2. An Executive Committee consisting of five members and
3. A Secretariat

Each country is represented by its electoral commission or other electoral authority.

Presidency	President	Mr V. Tonchi	Namibia
	Vice President	Justice J.B. Kalaile, SC	Malawi
EXCO	Chairperson	Mr L. Thoahlane	Lesotho
	Vice Chairperson	Justice L.M. Makame	Tanzania
		Justice J.Z. Mosojane	Botswana
		Mr A. Rahman	Mauritius
		Rev. A.A. Litsuri	Mozambique
		Mr. H. Gappy	Seychelles
		Mr. S. Gula-Ndebele	Zimbabwe

Mission Statement

The Forum aims to foster co-operation between its members with a view to promoting a culture of democracy and free and fair elections in SADC countries.

Guiding Principles

The Preamble to the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries outlines the Guiding Principles which includes:

• strengthening co-operation amongst Electoral Commissions in SADC countries
• promoting conditions conducive to the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections in SADC countries
• confirming a commitment and dedication to the development of democracy in SADC countries
• promotes democracy as a political system of responsible and accountable government through the conduct of regular elections; encouraging the utilisation of systems and processes that will encourage the full participation of the electorate in the electoral process
• ensuring the development of a democratic culture and a dynamic electoral process in SADC countries through close co-operation, fellowship and consultation.

Rationale

The majority of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries are currently enjoying a period of relative political stability, which provides an ideal opportunity to promote democratic development in the region. Such development necessarily encompasses electoral processes that genuinely enable the participation of ordinary people in free and fair elections. Without effective and well-run elections, democratic transformation will not take place.

Elections which meet these criteria are predicated on three fundamental conditions:

1. Certain minimum social, political and human rights standards and conditions must be in place so as to provide an environment in which an election can validly take place
2. The electoral authority must be perceived as independent and impartial
3. The electoral process itself must, in its design and implementation, reflect best practice principles which are accepted by all the stakeholders.

Significantly, African countries aspire to greater self-reliance and less dependence on the assistance of non-African countries in the electoral field. It is important for these countries to find a way of optimising their own electoral resources and expertise.

In this context, interregional co-operation is a supportive exercise that can contribute significantly to the strengthening of common bonds and the creation of African solidarity, where the sharing of experiences and expertise can build regional capacity, foster regional awareness, facilitate the discovery of common interests, the efficient utilisation of available resources and most importantly to enhance the ability of SADC countries to regularly deliver elections that genuinely reflect the will of the people.

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