GOREE INSTITUTE

- ACE and BRIDGE (Building Resources in Democracy Governance and Elections) regional electoral resource centre for West Africa

Project Summary and Background

ACE

Gorée Institute is the ACE project's Regional Electoral Resource Centre for West Africa. The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network provides comprehensive and authoritative information on elections promotes networking among election-related professionals internationally, and offers capacity development services.

ACE is a joint endeavour of eight partner organizations, all long-term supporters of the Administration and Cost of Elections Project and leaders in the provision of targeted technical assistance in elections management. Partners include:

• The Association of European Election Officials (ACEEEO) – A Hungary based association which promotes the institutionalisation and professionalisation of democratic processes and procedures primarily in Central and Eastern Europe.

• Resource Building Institute in Democracy Governance and Elections (RBI) -is an Armenia based non-governmantal organisation, which aims to contribute to sustainable and quality resource building and development in the domain of democracy, governance and elections.

• Commission Electorale Independante (CENI) - The electoral commission of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a regional focus on Central Africa.

• The Centre for Electoral Reform (CETRO) – An Indonesia based institute promoting the strengthening of electoral processes.

• EISA – a South Africa based non-governmental organisation, already a full ACE partner, working to strengthen electoral processes and good governance in Africa through research and capacity building.

• Institute for Education in Democracy (IED) - A Kenya based institute that promotes democracy through programmes in the electoral process, voter education, research and dissemination programmes.

• Goree Institute - A Senegal based independent, Pan-African, Public Interest Organisation (PIO) promoting electoral reform and peace building in Africa.

• Instituto Federal Electoral (IFE) – The Federal Electoral Institute of Mexico, the body responsible for organizing and overseeing federal elections in Mexico, already a full ACE partner, very active in capacity development activities for emerging EMBs

• Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE) – The national electoral management body in Peru.

• Al Urdun Al Jadid Research Centre (UJRC) - An independent and non-governmental organization working for sustainable democracy in Jordan and the Arab world.

Building Resources in Democracy Governance and Elections –BRIDGE-training

With a mission to build open and self-reliant societies on the African continent, the Gorée Institute is the major link between the Pan-African intelligentsia and the rest of the world. As a result the Gorée Institute is well placed to facilitate sub-regional training opportunities. In order to meet the gaps in knowledge and skills of West African civil society on elections, democracy and governance the Institute hosts Building Resources in Democracy Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) training courses in Senegal, specifically for West African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in electoral processes. BRIDGE is the only curriculum for capacity development used by the United Nations. The Gorée Institute is accredited to organise and facilitate all levels of BRIDGE training and under its project, the Gorée Centre for Electoral Processes, uses this training to build the capacities of West African civil society organisations working in electoral processes.

Our work

Since July 2007, Gorée Institute has been the ACE Regional Electoral Centre for West Africa and has been working closely with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) to implement the ACE project in the region. The Regional Centres are associate members of the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network. Thanks to this dynamic partnership, the Institute has accomplished many necessary goals over the course of 20 months.

In order to have maximum impact we focus on:

• Participation in election observation missions on the African continent ideally in collaboration with ECOWAS and the African Union

• Regular participation in contributions to top regional meetings on elections

• Fundraising for Gorée Centre for Electoral Processes in including BRIDGE trainings for West African Civil Society Organisations

• Disseminate high quality electoral information and electoral materials in West Africa

• Promote ACE and BRIDGE in the region

The objective of our work with the BRIDGE training is to contribute to a body of well informed and trained African civil society organisations that can make critical contributions to electoral and democratic processes on the continent.

Participants at the training expressed a strong desire to see this curriculum introduced to more West African civil society organisations. They believe BRIDGE is the most comprehensive and participant oriented course on elections that they have attended, and expressed a wish to see more Train of Trainers courses organised for West African civil society organisations.

In order to achieve this, our work involves:

• Training CSOs in various aspects of electoral management
• Introduce the BRIDGE curriculum and its pedagogy to West African CSOs
• Position the Gorée Institute as a hub of excellence for both Administrations and Cost of Elections project(ACE) and BRIDGE in West Africa
• Allow potential donors to familiarize themselves with BRIDGE