Page 112 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

94 INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS DURING COVID-19

Mali

General Elections

Mali conducted their long-delayed parliamentary elections on March 29, 2020 after President Ibrahim
Boubacar Keita assured the country that a ‘scrupulous respect of health measures’ would be observed.
It was reported that turnout in the capital appeared low in the morning. Lines were short, allowing
voters to cast their ballots while maintaining distance from other voters. Handwashing facilities were
meant to be available, but kits arrived late. The second round of legislative elections were conducted
on April 19, 2020 at 8 AM GMT for Malian voters to choose the remaining 125 of the 147 deputies for
Mali’s National Assembly.
During the first round organized on March 29, only 22 deputies were elected, including 5 women, with
a high rate of abstention due both to security problems in the north and center of the country and the
spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 awareness posters were visible at polling stations as well as hand washing kits and hand
sanitizers, majority of the voters as well as polling officials wore masks.
The participation rate in the first round of the legislative elections organized on March 29, 2020 in Mali
was only 35.73 percent, and 797 of the 22,147 polling stations could not be opened for various reasons.
In the second round the voter turnout was 35.25%.

UNDP Mali

Support to the National Response to Contain the Impact of COVID-19

Despite the increasing calls by some stakeholders for the polls to be postponed, legislative elections
were held on 29 March and 19 April 2020, the first and second rounds, respectively. While UNDP, as per
its mandate and in line with the wider UN/UNCT strategy, is engaged to support the Malian electoral
process, it is critical to reinforce the national preventive strategy throughout the elections. A bigger
challenge would be to address the wider social, economic and security impacts of the pandemic and
the recovery roadmap.
Areas of Intervention

1. Strengthening Health Systems
Provision of preventive equipment to all polling stations, during legislative elections in Mali Strengthen
the Government’s health system capacities including preventive communication before, during and
after polling days Advisory support to government in enforcing preventive measures for voters before
and after polling day (ensure social distancing during polling days with queue controllers; enforce a
mandatory temperature checking and hand washing; promote the use of digital communication,
including to announce results, etc.) crises and thereafter.
2. Inclusive and Integrated Crisis Management and Multi-Sectoral Response
In partnership with WHO, support the operationalization of the digital health assistance and prevention
tool (ASSA), designed and promoted by Tuwindi Foundation (a local Civic-Tech Foundation) :
materialized by a chatbot, the digital tool ASSA, itself validated by the national COVID 19 committee,
aims at raising awareness on COVID- 19, in national and regional languages, and facilitate patients care
by connecting with health specialists and community based health workers allowing them to trace
through SMSing confirmed or suspected case, etc. Mobilize 60 UN Community Volunteers to engage
in remote communities as agents of change and champions for prevention, advocacy and social
cohesion, and provide a local response through participation of community members, including youth
and women. Support to local cooperatives to produce masks along with communication campaign to
encourage the population to wear masks.