The ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), in keeping with its mandate to promote free, fair and credible elections in West Africa, is holding its annual symposium on the theme “Information integrity and electoral integrity: What role for EMBs in the era of social media?” in Freetown, Republic of Sierra Leone, from 11th to 12th November 2024, which will be followed by its 10th General Assembly.
The meeting will be organized in the form of panel discussions on specific themes with the aim of critically assessing the role of electoral management bodies (EMBs) in promoting information integrity as an essential aspect of protecting electoral integrity. The General Assembly, meanwhile, will afford ECONEC members the opportunity to review and assess the activities implemented in 2024.
The 2024 ECONEC symposium will bring together the Chairpersons and communication directors of ECONEC member EMBs, representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, thematic experts, civil society organizations (CSOs), the media and technical partners involved in electoral assistance, including the African Union, the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries (ECF-SADC), International IDEA, IFES, EISA, CHR and UNDP.
Discussions at the ECONEC 2024 symposium will serve as a basis for developing a Policy Brief on managing access to information during the electoral processes in West Africa.
The ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions(ECONEC) is the umbrella organization ofelectoral management bodies (EMBs) in West Africa. The network was created in February 2008 to promote free, fair and credible elections. Its creation was inspired by the ECOWAS Declaration of Political Principles, which was adopted by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in 1991.
