Latest content: Democracy, government and law

Presidents, regional leaders, representatives of the international community – including the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, and thousands of Ghanaians watched as John Dramani Mahama took the oath of office as Ghana’s new president. 

Statements by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC:

Disability was no barrier for a member of the Commonwealth group observing the recent Ghana election.

Grace Jerry, who uses a wheelchair, brought her keen perspective as a person with disability to the role, with the vision of “Barrier-Free Democracy” - universally accessible voting processes, with no physical, informational, or social impediments.

Blog by Martin Raiser and Suresh Yadav

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 Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has commended the government, civil society, stakeholders and people of Ghana for the orderly conduct of the general election in its interim statement.

The COG also praised the Vice President of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia, for the exemplary statesmanship displayed in his early concession speech.

Following is the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, statement for Human Rights Day, observed on 10 December.

On duty across Ghana, Commonwealth observers watched as the elections got off to a calm, peaceful and early start. Polling stations in most places observed by the group opened at 7am, with the people of Ghana casting their ballots for a president and members of parliament.

A Commonwealth Expert Team (CET) was deployed to Gabon to observe the Constitutional Referendum which was held in November 2024. At the end of their mission, they offered some reflections on the process.

Last week, 28 senior government officials from Jamaica’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Rights (IMCHR) engaged in an intensive three-day workshop in Kingston, held from 19 to 21 November 2024.

As daylight broke over polling stations for Sri Lanka's presidential election in September, observers from across the Commonwealth were also present - marking its 200th election observation mission. They were there to assess the electoral process and make recommendations that, if implemented, can help foster public confidence, bolster electoral integrity and strengthen democratic institutions.

The Commonwealth Secretariat has launched a publication, A Commonwealth Guide to Case Management, that seeks to help courts manage civil cases more efficiently. The guide, produced by the Secretariat’s Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform (OCCJR), is designed for practitioners, judicial officers and policymakers. It provides best practice and practical advice to improve court administration and proceedings.

The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has released its final report on Sri Lanka's September 2024 presidential election. The Sri Lankan government officially received the report following its parliamentary election on November 14.

Commonwealth election observers will be in Ghana from 28 November to 14 December for the country’s 2024 general elections

Thousands of South Africans are set to benefit from stronger protections against cybercrime, following a Commonwealth symposium which equipped magistrates with practical skills to adjudicate online crimes.

The Commonwealth Observer Group's (COG)final report on the 2023 Zimbabwe elections praised voters for their high turnout and commitment to peace. The report also noted that the pre-election period had a number of deficiencies, each of which was enough to affect the overall credibility, transparency and inclusivity of the election.

Former President of Botswana, HE Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to Ghana for the general elections, scheduled for 7 December 2024. Ghanaians will go to the polls to choose a President and Members of Parliament.

The Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group in Mozambique, H.E. Dr. Kenny Anthony, has on behalf of the Group, condemned the killing of Elvino Dias, the lawyer representing Mozambican politician Venâncio Mondlane and Paulo Guambe an official from the PODEMOS party.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, has condemned the killing of Elvino Dias, the lawyer representing Mozambican politician Venâncio Mondlane, and Paulo Guambe, a PODEMOS party official, who were tragically gunned down in Maputo.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, KC, has deployed a team of Commonwealth experts to observe the October 30 general elections in Botswana.

The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG), which has been in Mozambique for the 9 October polls, has today issued an interim statement calling for restraint as the country awaits election results.

Commonwealth observers have been deployed across Mozambique, as voters elect a new president, parliamentarians, and provincial representatives.

Seventy Tanzanian judges, prosecutors and investigators took part in an intensive Commonwealth symposium this week designed to sharpen their skills in handling cybercrime cases and making the internet safer for citizens.