15 July 2020

Electoral Integrity, Events, Supporting Elections and Democracy, Videos

#KAFDialogues – Webinars & Events from the Kofi Annan Foundation

Information about webinars from our #KAFDialogues series:

Webinar 1: Could Democracy become the silent victim of COVID-19?

22.05.2020 – A discussion on the threats to democracy and elections caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and how to address them, with Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Doris Leuthard, and Elhadj As Sy. Moderated by Professor Ghassan Salamé.

Webinar 2: Democracy in Latin America *In Spanish

29.05.2020 – President Laura Chinchilla, Chair of the Kofi Annan Commission on Elections and Democracy in the Digital Age, lead a discussion on the impact of the pandemic in Latin America and how countries in the region can use technology to protect the integrity of their elections.

More information

Webinar 3: COVID-19 and the crisis of democratic legitimacy in Africa

12.06.2020 – A discussion on the threats to democracy and elections in Africa caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and how to address them, with Madam President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and Elhadj As Sy. Moderated by Ayisha Osori.

Webinar 4: Strengthening Southeast Asia’s democratic health after COVID-19

14.07.2020 – A discussion on the threats to democracy and elections in Southeast Asia caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and how to address them, with Maria Ressa, President Ramos Horta, Dr Noeleen Heyzer, and Dr Thant Myint-U. Moderated by Veronica Pedrosa.

Webinar 5: Has COVID won the US elections?

29.10.2020 – A discussion on the threats to democracy and elections in the United States caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and how to address them, with Nate Persily, James B. McClatchy Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, interviewed by Corinne Momal-Vanian, Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation.

Webinar 6: Protecting Democracy in the Digital Age: Views from two continents

24.03.2021 – A discussion on the challenges and opportunities for democracy, politics and digital technologies in Europe and Africa, with Divina Frau-Meigs, Digital Humanities, Sorbonne Nouvelle University and Member of the High-Level Group on Fake news at the European Commission; Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Head of Public Policy, Government & Philanthropy for Sub-Saharan Africa at Twitter; Idayat Hassan, Director at Centre for Democracy and Development West Africa; Akua Gyekye, Strategic Response Regional Program Manager EMEA Africa Elections at Facebook; Moderated by Sebastien Brack, Head of Elections & Democracy programme at the Kofi Annan Foundation.

Webinar 7:West Africa: Is Democracy in Retreat?

19.05.2021 – A discussion on the growing distrust in the independence, neutrality and impartiality of election management bodies. The Kofi Annan Foundation seeks to work with States in the region to halt this trend – which could potentially lead to a return to instability and violence – and reaffirm their commitment to democracy and elections with integrity. An online event with Mohamed Ibn Chambas, outgoing Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Christopher Fomunyoh, Director and Senior Associate, Central and West Africa at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, Idayat Hassan, West Africa Director of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) – the region’s leading democracy-focused think-tank, and Ayisha Osori, Executive Director for the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA); Moderated by Arnauld Akodjenou, Special Advisor for Africa at the Kofi Annan Foundation.

Elections have become almost universal since the end of the Cold War. Yet in many countries where elections are held, freedom and democracy are actually in retreat. Intended as mechanisms for the peaceful arbitration of political rivalries, they frequently become flashpoints for political violence. At the core of these paradoxes are elections without integrity. All too often, elections serve merely to give autocratic regimes a veneer of legitimacy. But elections without integrity cannot provide the winners with legitimacy, the losers with security and the public with confidence in their leaders and institutions. This makes polities fragile as it encourages disgruntled groups to find other, less constructive, channels for the expression of their discontent. The Kofi Annan Foundation and Electoral Integrity Initiative advise countries on how to strengthen the integrity and legitimacy of their electoral processes and avoid election-related violence. Looking beyond technical requirements, they focus on creating conditions for legitimate elections, making it possible to govern peaceably in a climate of trust.

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