GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat says it is enhancing the skills of Caribbean countries in electoral observation and strengthening their role in promoting safe, inclusive, and credible electoral processes.
CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth SolomonThe Secretariat has noted that this year, 11 regional countries will hold elections “marking a critical opportunity for strengthening democracies and inclusive participation across the region”.
It said as a result, representatives from CARICOM electoral management bodies have participated in a two-day workshop that ended here on Thursday and was organized by the CARICOM Secretariat, the United Nations Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA); and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Secretariat said the workshop, titled “Electoral Observation and Roundtable Discussion on Gender and Elections in the Caribbean,” follows the world’s most comprehensive methodology for the training of electoral stakeholders, namely BRIDGE – Building Resources in Democracy, Governance, and Elections.
“This is the first time in eight years that BRIDGE has been implemented in the Caribbean, building on similar experiences held in 2016 and 2018,” the Secretariat said, noting that the workshop was supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and included participation from the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the African Union (AU).
Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth Solomon emphasized the timeliness of the workshop given the significant number of elections occurring across the region this year.
“We are at a critical juncture as we navigate an increasingly complex global landscape, marked by evolving challenges to democratic norms. It is therefore opportune that we reinforce our capacity to conduct credible and transparent elections.
“Electoral observation plays a pivotal role in ensuring that these processes are conducted with integrity, fostering public trust and confidence,” Solomon said, adding that the workshop covered the electoral process, including election systems, observation methodologies, legal frameworks, voting and tabulation procedures, and importantly, the gender dimensions of elections.
Solomon spoke of the vital role, women play in all aspects of the electoral process, stating that the Community “recognizes and values the significant contribution of women in ensuring fair and inclusive democracies”.
She commended the CARICOM-UNDP-UNDPPA partnership, saying it underscores the “collective commitment to strengthening the foundations of democratic governance” in the region.
“The collaboration is a cornerstone of our shared mission to uphold democratic principles in the region, allowing for the stability, prosperity, and well-being of our nationals,” Solomon said.
The acting The UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Nicolas Pron, said the workshop is a testament of the shared commitment to uphold the principles of safe, inclusive, and credible elections.
“This event is the result of a longstanding and productive cooperation between CARICOM and the United Nations,” Pron said.
“The United Nations is a strong supporter of the declaration of principles for international election observations. The UN is also pleased to offer support in facilitating exchanges of its experiences and good practices in electoral observations among regional organisations as is demonstrated in this event today,” the UN representative said.
