A WEB

The A-WEB Secretariat, in partnership with the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), co-hosted the fifth Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum (AESF 5) under the theme of “Lessons Learned: The Way Forward for Elections in Asia Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic” from 20 to 21 October 2021. 

The forum brought together around 200 electoral stakeholders in Asia and other regions to discuss the current issues in elections and democracy during the panel discussions (AESF 5 Program).

The Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum has been held since 2012 with the objectives of promoting cooperation between Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in promoting free and fair elections across Asia. From each one of the AESFs, significant documents have been adopted by all participants. AESF 5 was no exception. On the last day of the forum, the document titled “AESF 5 Memorandum: The Way Forward for Elections Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic” was adopted unanimously. The document includes several recommendations and best practices to address the current challenges that the stakeholders face, along with some possible solutions (AESF 5 Memorandum).

Members from the General Election Commission of Mongolia, the Central Election Commission of Taiwan, the Permanent Election Authority of Romania were present as panelists and the Commission on Elections of Philippines contributed to the proceedings as a moderator for panel 2. Despite the difference in time zones, many A-WEB members from all regions attended the forum, actively participating and providing comments at each panel and discussion session. 

The AESF 5 has successfully provided a great opportunity to promote cooperation among all electoral stakeholders. The participants agreed that the challenges in elections during a crisis, such as COVID-19, cannot be tackled only by individual efforts; and the knowledge exchanged during the forum would be of great benefit. 

The A-WEB Secretariat has organized two virtual events in 2021 in cooperation with partner organizations. The A-WEB Secretariat will continue to provide platforms to promote the exchange of ideas and best practices among its 118 members.