In Djibouti, the Association of African Election Authorities (AAEA), in close cooperation with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), is currently implementing a Peer Learning Mission which coincides with the presidential electionsod Djibouti, providing a timely platform for exchange, observation, and institutional cooperation among Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs). The mission is implemented under the Pro-Electoral Integrity project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and carried out in partnership with the African Union Commission Department of Political Affairs Peace and Security.
The Peer Learning Mission reflects the core mandate of the AAEA as a non-partisan, peer-to-peer platform fostering cooperation, knowledge-sharing and professionalization among African election authorities. Participants include EMBs representatives of several African counties: a Commissioner of the Commission Electorale Nationale Indépendante of Mauritania, Commissioners of the National Elections Commission of Egypt, a Board Member of the National Election Board of Ethiopia, the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission of South Sudan, a Commissioner of the National Independent Election Commission of Somalia, the Deputy Chairman of the Tunisian Independent Supreme Authority for Elections, a Commissioner of the Malawi Electoral Commission, the Regional Electoral Officer for the Electoral Commission of Namibia, the Regional Electoral Officer for the Electoral Commissions Forum of the Southern African Development Community Secretariat for Botswana and the Commissioner for the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the Programme Manager to the AAEA Secretariat.
Through structured exchanges and on-the-ground engagement, the mission facilitates the sharing of best practices, lessons learned, and operational expertise across diverse electoral contexts. It also supports collaborative problem-solving, professional networking, and the development of long-term institutional partnerships addressing key areas such as voter registration, election technology, conflict prevention and management, inclusion, and post-election review mechanisms.
Through this combination of technical exchange, capacity-building, and peer dialogue, and in close cooperation with ECES, the AAEA continues to strengthen cooperation among African EMBs and enhance their capacity to deliver elections in line with international standards and democratic principles. The mission also reinforces the Association’s role as a continental platform for peer learning and institutional exchange, working alongside partners such as the African Union to promote shared solutions to common electoral challenges across Africa and beyond.