SPP Participates in Launch of Regional Election Observation Task Force in Yerevan
A Civil Society Forum Task Force, made up of election and civil society experts from Eastern Partnership and EU countries, was launched in Yerevan at the occasion of Armenia’s presidential elections on 18 February. The purpose of the Task Force during its visit to Armenia was to learn more about the observation activities of the Armenian National Platform of the Civil Society Forum, and to assist in the presentation and dissemination of its findings and conclusions.
The Eastern Partnership is a European Union initiative directed at six countries of Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. It aims at tightening the relationship between the EU and the Eastern partners by deepening their political co-operation also in the field of developing practices. The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (CSF) was established in 2009 to promote contacts among civil society actors and facilitate their dialogue with public authorities.
The CSF Task Force, comprising eight individuals (from Belarus, Georgia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Austria and the UK), has been in Armenia for a week to advise NGOs in their observation of the electoral process and exchange best practice. It held meetings with a range of political parties, civil society organisations, media and representatives of the diplomatic community in Yerevan as well in the regions.
CEU’s new School of Public Policy seeks to study and encourage new mechanisms for regional and sectoral cooperation in a wide range of areas to enhance the capabilities of public policy institutions. Its Director of Outreach, Bernhard Knoll, participated in the launch of the task force, strengthening SPP's commitment to developing an academic hub of expertise to support networks of civil society organisations in the area of election observation.
Building the capacity of local observers will remain a focus for the Task Force in the coming year. Following its successful launch in Yerevan, the initiative will be developed further to assist civic observers in countries of the Eastern Partnership to apply tested monitoring methodologies and communication strategies. As a result, civil society groups will be better equipped to fulfill their monitoring and watchdog role in the reform process.
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum will be closely cooperating with the newly formed European Platform for Democratic Elections whose representatives took part in the observation process of the presidential election in Armenia. The statement of the European Platform for Democratic Elections on the 2013 Armenian elections is available here.