Over 20 Commonwealth election professionals have sharpened their skills following a five-day training course in Fiji, designed to strengthen electoral integrity and inclusion in the Pacific.
The members of this Commonwealth Election Professionals (CEP) cohort were trained by electoral experts from across the Commonwealth, including Samson Itodo of Yiaga Africa, Karyl Winter from the New Zealand’s Electoral Commission, and Fredah Joses from the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission.
Participants of the Talanoa-styled dialogue included election management bodies (EMB) from 11 Commonwealth countries and one representative from the Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand Electoral Administrators Network (PIANZEA) network.
In Fiji, ‘Talanoa’ means a conversation held in an inclusive, receptive space and for the greater good. It is a traditional method of reaching consensus on issues in the Pacific.
Participant Eretia Monite, from Kiribati, said:
“Attending this workshop was a transformative experience. Reflecting on my recent general election, I realized there were shortcomings, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to apply the knowledge and strategies I gained here. The Talanoa approach to learning, which emphasizes informal, participatory, and inclusive dialogue, was particularly effective in creating a safe and engaging environment for us to share our experiences and learn from each other.
“I return home with a new-found sense of confidence and commitment to strengthening stakeholder engagement for electoral integrity in Kiribati. As I always say, 'I come empty-headed, I return full-headed' – and I'm truly grateful for this experience."
The course covered a range of topics – from understanding stakeholder management and its relationship with electoral integrity, to effective approaches and practices for stakeholder partnerships, and developing EMB frameworks and strategies for stakeholder partnerships.
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Supervisor of Elections for Fiji, Ana Salaivalu Mataiciwa, said:
“As representatives of EMBs, we are entrusted with one of the most critical responsibilities in any democracy: ensuring that our citizens can trust their elections. This trust is the foundation of our democratic systems and the stability of our respective nations. Our work is not just administrative, but it should be relational as well.”
“We should be able to build relationships with our stakeholders which would then allow them to have the confidence and trust in us, the administrators of electoral processes in our respective nations. Beyond technical skills, I hope we will also deepen our professional and personal connections, which are vital for regional collaboration. The Pacific thrives on shared values and collective action, and it is only through partnership that we can address the evolving challenges in our electoral landscapes.”
Linford Andrews, Head and Adviser of the Electoral Support Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat, thanked Fiji for being an excellent host, and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their ongoing financial support over the last decade to support this important initiative.
The Commonwealth Election Professionals initiative has been in existence for a decade and has provided electoral administrators with opportunities for professional development, knowledge sharing and peer support.
Since inception, over 320 election professionals from 52 Commonwealth and six PIANZEA network election management bodies have benefitted from sixteen training events held for the Africa, Asia, Caribbean & Americas and Pacific regions. The next CEP training will be held for the Asia region in early 2025.
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Media contact
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Temitope Kalejaiye, Public Relations and Engagement Officer, Commonwealth Secretariat
