A WEB

7th General Assembly of the Association of World Election Bodies Convenes in Metro Manila, Philippines


The 7th General Assembly of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) convened in Manila, the Philippines, on 14 October 2026. Hosted by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of the Philippines in cooperation with the A-WEB Secretariat, the Assembly brought together delegations of member election management bodies (EMBs) from all around the world. Throughout the General Assembly meeting, presided over by the New Chairperson of A-WEB, the A-WEB Secretariat presented all 14 agenda items, which were thoroughly addressed through constructive discussions and valuable insights shared by participating delegations, contributing to a productive and meaningful exchange of views on key matters concerning the governance and activities of A-WEB.

Transfer of the Chairpersonship to COMELEC of the Philippines


The General Assembly commenced with the formal transfer of the A-WEB Chairpersonship from the National Civil Registry of Colombia to COMELEC of the Philippines. Following the ceremonial handover of the A-WEB flag, Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia assumed the Chairpersonship on behalf of COMELEC. On behalf of the outgoing Chairpersonship, the representative of Colombia reviewed the principal achievements of the 2024–2026 term, including efforts to broaden participation in the Association, the strengthening of election observation through the A-WEB Election Observation Protocol, and the promotion of cooperation in addressing disinformation and the use of artificial intelligence in electoral administration. In his inaugural address, Chairman Garcia called upon members to conduct their deliberations with candor, collaboration and commitment, observing that “every ballot cast somewhere in the world rests on a promise that someone will count it fairly.”

Election of the Vice-Chairperson
The General Assembly elected the National Jury of Elections (JNE) of Peru as Vice-Chairperson of A-WEB. In accordance with the A-WEB Charter, JNE Peru will host the 8th General Assembly in 2028, at which it will assume the Chairpersonship of the Association.


Get to know more about the new Office Bearers of A-WEB!

Appointment of Executive Board Members


The General Assembly approved the appointment of new members of the Executive Board to fill eleven vacant seats. For the Africa region, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) of Senegal and the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were appointed. For the Americas region, the National Electoral Directorate (DINE) of Argentina, the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) of Peru and the State Elections Commission (CEEPR) of Puerto Rico were appointed. For the Asia region, the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB), the General Election Commission (GEC) of Mongolia, the Central Elections Commission (CEC) of Palestine and the General Election Supervisory Agency (BAWASLU) of Indonesia were appointed. For the Oceania region, the Office of the Electoral Commission (OEC) of Samoa was appointed.

View All A-WEB Executive Board Members

Appointment of the Secretary General
The General Assembly confirmed the appointment of Mr. Nae-Hyong Ahn of the Republic of Korea as Secretary General of A-WEB. The appointment concluded a selection process initiated by the Secretariat, which invited member EMBs to submit candidatures by 14 August 2026. At an Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive Board held in Manila on 13 October 2026, the candidates presented their respective visions for the Association, following which the Executive Board nominated Mr. Ahn by secret ballot and submitted the nomination to the General Assembly for approval.

Admission of New Members


The General Assembly approved the admission of the State Election Commission of Montenegro, the Independent Election Commission of Jordan and the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary of Mexico (TEPJF) as full members, and of the Network of Election Management Bodies in Central Africa (ROGEAC) as an associate member. The representatives of the Independent Election Commission of Jordan and ROGEAC addressed the Assembly, expressing their commitment to the exchange of experience and to cooperation within the A-WEB community.

View the entire A-WEB member EMBs' list

Adoption of Amendments to the A-WEB Charter


The General Assembly adopted amendments to the A-WEB Charter, concluding a consultative process of nearly two years. Pursuant to the decision of the 6th General Assembly, a subcommittee composed of representatives of the five regions reviewed the Charter, conducted consultations with members in all regions, and convened in Tirana, Albania, in October 2025. The proposed amendments were subsequently endorsed by the 14th Meeting of the Executive Board in March 2026 and submitted to the General Assembly for its consideration. Developed with the contributions of members across all regions, the amendments are intended to strengthen the governance framework of the Association. The amended Charter will be published on the A-WEB website following the circulation of the minutes to all members.

Electoral Best Practices and Initiatives Awards


The General Assembly presented the second A-WEB Electoral Best Practices and Initiatives Awards to the Central Election Commission of Albania for its Diaspora Electronic Registration Platform, the National Electoral Institute (INE) of Mexico for its management of the new election of the Judiciary, and the Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan for its new digital solutions in election management.

Way Forward
The minutes of the 7th General Assembly, together with the final text of the amended Charter, will be circulated to all members in due course. A-WEB expresses its appreciation to COMELEC for their hospitality and for the excellent organization of the General Assembly, as well as to all member EMBs for their participation. The Association looks forward to continued cooperation under its new leadership and to convening the 8th General Assembly in Peru in 2028.