| “Project For Improving the Election Management in Samoa” |
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| Last updated 2019-06-19 |
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“I appreciate the Association of World Election Bodies, dispatched experts for the Data Center, EIS and nations of the Republic of Korea. This project is a great move for Samoa, which Samoa will become the leader in the election technology field among the countries in the region (the South Pacific) with the most advanced system." - Matthew F. Lemisio, the Samoan Electoral Commissioner, the head of the OEC -
The Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) successfully accomplished the Samoan Office of the Electoral Commissioner Data Center and EIS Building Project in May 2019. The project was implemented in phases from the establishment of the Election Information System (EIS) and the Data Center of the Samoan Office of Electoral Commission (OEC) to the education for the sustainable operation of the equipment for the future.
▲The Hand Over Ceremony of the Project (May 29th 2019)
After the Record of Discussion was signed in August 2018, verification for the requirements of OEC and detailed definition of roles of the Project were conducted in January 2019 for 3 weeks in Samoa to thoroughly analyze Samoan election environment prior to a full-scale project implementation. Based on the research, the requirements of OEC and the infrastructure-environment for the Data Center establishment were recognized in more detail, becoming the foundation of the customized project for the Samoan OEC.
The project became firm and further improved as the A-WEB invited OEC IT representative to its Secretariat in March 2019 to inspect equipments for the project and examine the EIS development status with the A-WEB.
▲The IT Representative of the OEC’s Visit to Testing Center
▲Delivered equipments for the OEC Data Center
After the thorough preparation for the project was completed successfully, the Project management experts of the A-WEB have been in Samoa for more than a month to establish the advanced Data Center as well as EIS which enhance the OEC’s capability to improve efficiency in election management. After the successful establishment on both Data Center and EIS, the Project Department experts of A-WEB adjusted systems to proper and tailored operational environment based on the OEC and Samoan environment. In addition, the A-WEB Project Department prepared educational programs for the OEC IT personnels to operate sustainable and independent Data Center and EIS.
▲EIS Operating Training for IT Experts of the OEC
In May 29th of 2019, the A-WEB and OEC held the Handover Ceremony as a wind-up of the Project. After the System Integration Testing, both organizations officially announced that the 1st phase of the ‘Project for Improving the Election Management in Samoa’ has been successfully completed.
▲The Hand Over Ceremony of ‘Project for Improving the Election Management in Samoa’
The Handover ceremony was grandly held with various officials, including Secretary General of the A-WEB, Prime Minister, Minister, and Election Commissioner of Samoa. On the same day, major media press in Samoa also attended the ceremony and broadcasted it nationally. (https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/42687)
▲The Secretary General of the A-WEB’s congratulatory message during the ceremony
A-WEB plans to dispatch experts to the OEC and provide Capacity Enhancement Program in order to support the OEC to operate established systems sustainably. The Project Department and A-WEB hope the OEC to lead the promptness, accuracy and transparency of electoral processes in Samoa.
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