| A-WEB holds the 13th Executive Board meeting in the Philippines |
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| Last updated 2025-04-29 |
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Delegations from 16 EMBs Discuss the Association’s Future Direction and Global Cooperation to Counter Fake News and Prevent Electoral Conflict The Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), the world's largest
global organization of election management bodies (EMBs), held its 13th
Executive Board meeting in Manila, Philippines, from April 24 to 27, 2025.
The meeting, hosted by the Vice-Chair organization,
the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of the Philippines, was attended by EMBs’
representatives from 16 EMBs, including thoses from Albania, Armenia,
Guatemala, India, Kosovo, the Maldives, Mexico, Palestine, Peru, the Republic
of Korea, Samoa, South Africa, Taiwan, Timor-Leste and Uganda. The attendees
include Executive Board members, Oversight and Audit Committee, and other
officials. Participants discussed a range of topics
aimed at strengthening election transparency and credibility.
The Executive Board is A-WEB's governing body, responsible for approving annual
project plans and policy directions, and has served as a platform for collaboration
and information exchange among member EMBs through its annual meetings.
In his welcome speech, George Erwin M. Garcia, Chairperson of the COMELEC
of the Philippines, emphasized the importance of EMBs sharing their experiences
and expertise to enhance professionalism. He particularly highlighted the challenges faced by EMBs worldwide due to the spread of fake news and disinformation and stressed the importance of global cooperation through global networks like A-WEB during these challenging times.
During the meeting, the following key topics were discussed:
Notably, the Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa proposed advancing
five key initiatives under its "Legacy Project," focusing on research
and publication, civic education, policy dialogue, academic support for
election administration, and capacity building to establish a sustainable
electoral legacy.
The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Guatemala proposed a Comprehensive
approach of global cooperation to prevent electoral conflicts fueled by
disinformation, political polarization, and public distrust, including
technical support for information verification and early warning systems.
Meanwhile, the National Civil Registry (RNEC) of Colombia proposed
standardizing A-WEB's election observation protocol, presenting detailed
measures to enhance the professionalism and compliance of observation missions
with international standards.
In addition, to improve A-WEB's operational efficiency and sustainability,
a sub-committee was formed to review and propose amendments to the Charter.
EMBs from the Philippines, Mexico, South Africa, Albania, and Samoa were
selected as representative members, ensuring balanced representation across
continents.
Through the 13th Executive Board meeting, A-WEB reaffirmed its commitment
to joint efforts to enhance election transparency and trustworthiness by
promoting electoral conflict prevention, strengthening civic education,
developing international observation standards, and improving its institutional
framework for sustainable development.
An A-WEB Secretariat official stated, "This Executive Board meeting
became a venue for realizing tangible cooperation by bringing together the
experiences and expertise of EMBs from various countries," and added,
"Going forward, A-WEB will continue to work with member EMBs to contribute
to the growth of democracy worldwide."
Meanwhile, during the meeting, two EMBs—the Independent Election Commission of Jordan and the State Election Commission of Montenegro—joined A-WEB as provisional members.
Celebrating its 12th anniversary this year, A-WEB has grown from an
initial membership of 96 EMBs from 93 countries at the time of its founding to
a global network comprising 121 EMBs from 111 countries today.
Additionally, the 14th Executive Board meeting next year is going to be
held in Armenia.
Press Release for Local Press Agency
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