Page 181 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

ROLE PLAYED BY INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION 163

Role Played by International

Institutions

2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic has posed frightening challenges to humanity. Democracies
across the world have witnessed a disruption of the normal fabric of life, which has severely affected
the democratic governance systems. All sectors of economy have been adversely impacted. Socio-
economic and socio-political activities have been struggling to maintain themselves on track. Electoral
democracy too faces severe challenges from COVID-19. Elections at the national and sub-national
elections have been postponed in different countries; while countries conducted their elections after
postponement and some have successfully conducted their elections after integration of public health
safety protocols. Each of the countries has responded in its own manner to mitigate the threat of
COVID-19. There is so much to learn by way of Knowledge sharing on international election experience.
The international institutions of excellence such as A-WEB, IFES and International IDEA etc have played
a pioneering role in closely monitoring the electoral calendar, the electoral processes and much more.
In this process they have tracked, studied, identified the problem areas, provided valuable guidance
and support and as such rendered remarkable assistance to the democratic countries in conduct of
their elections. Together this entire literature, a vast resource of knowledge on the subject, defines
as to how these institutions have risen to support the cause of electoral democracy across the world
and stood as a fortification of defence against challenges posed by COVID-19. This Chapter briefly
discusses the initiatives of each of these institutions.

Association of The World Election Bodies (A-WEB)

The Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), is the largest international organization in the
field of electoral management, established to facilitate mutual cooperation for the spread and foster
democracy and to simultaneously deal with the issues that arise in the issue of electoral management
in the present and in the future.
There emerged needs for strategic support for emerging democracies to establish legitimate
government through free and fair elections and to achieve economic and social development through
political stability as international economic and societal assistance struggled to achieve their fruition
due to political unrest and unstable political system in these countries.
Therefore, election management bodies and electoral professionals worldwide gathered to establish
an international election organization, the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), in order to
ensure mutual cooperation to support sustainable democracy around the world.
The Secretariat of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB, headquartered in the Republic of
Korea) hosted a webinar on Election Management during COVID-19 on 3 June with an audience of its
member organizations and partners in Latin America.

The webinar started with an opening speech of Mr. Jonghyun Choe, Secretary General of A-WEB. Mr.
Choe, in his remarks, stressed the importance of A-WEB as a network among EMBs to support and
cooperate with each other, especially in times of challenge.