The Electoral Assistance Division supports the National Electoral Authority (NEA). The NEA is the independent body in charge of the preparation, organization and monitoring of elections and the constitutional referendum.
Mandate :
The mandate of the Integrated Electoral Assistance in the CAR is set out in Security Council resolution 2217 of 28 April 2015, as follows :
- To devise, coordinate and provide technical, logistical and security assistance to the electoral process and make all necessary preparations, in support of the Transitional Authorities and working on an urgent basis with the NEA, for the holding, in accordance with the transitional national charter, as a matter of urgency and as soon as possible, of the free, fair, transparent and inclusive presidential and legislative elections, in order to complete the political transition in a timely manner, including the full and effective participation of women at all levels and at an early stage, in all phases of the electoral process, and the participation of CAR IDPs and refugees;
- To devise, coordinate and provide technical, logistical and security assistance to the organization and the holding of the constitutional referendum, as appropriate.
The Integrated Electoral Assistance to Missions mainly aims to:
- Devise and provide technical and logistical assistance to the Transitional Authority in order to prepare and hold the constitutional referendum as well as free, fair and inclusive presidential and legislative elections. The resolution underscores the need for the full participation of women as well as CAR IDPs and refugees in the electoral process.
- To provide security for the electoral process by developing a joint election security plan between MINUSTAH and counterparts (CAR Armed Forces, gendarmerie and national police.
- To coordinate international technical assistance through the good offices of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINUSCA, as well as through the different national and international partners.
Mandate implementation strategy :
The electoral assistance mandate is implemented by the Integrated Electoral Assistance Team (IEAT).
Within MINUSCA, the Integrated Electoral Assistance team reports to the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) and the Resident Coordinator of the UN Country Team.
The Integrated Electoral Assistance team (IEAT) is composed of :
- MINUSCA Electoral Assistance Division (EAD)
- The Support Project to the Electoral Cycle in the CAR
MINUSCA Electoral Assistance Division (EAD)
The Electoral Assistance Division supports the National Electoral Auhtority (NEA). The NEA is the independent CAR body tasked with the preparation, organization and monitoring of the constitutional referendum. It is made up of seven members proposed by political parties, civil society and the transitional authorities.
NEA’s members serve a seven-year mandate, renewable only once. The NEA activities include: voter registration, developing a digital voter list, printing and distributing voter cards, compiling the list of polling stations and tallying centers, publishing ballots, organizing the electoral campaign, accreditating the media, ensuring the security of the electoral process and publication of results in collaboration with security forces. The NAE has set up regional and local sub-offices to carry out these tasks.
The regional and local sub-offices include: the Regional Electoral Authority (REA), the Sub-Prefectoral Electoral Authority, the Local Electoral Authority and the Embassy and Consulate Electoral Authority (ECEA). EAD supports the NEA at the national and local levels through 17 Regional Electoral Bureaux (REB), including one Bureau in each préfecture and two in Bangui.
EAD has an office at MINUSCA Headquarter as well as at the NEA which includes the following units: information technology, logistics, civic education and sensititization, training, communication and external relations. EAD is also present in Bria, Bouar, Kanga Bandoro,Bambari, Berberati, Mbaiki, Sibut, Bossangoa, Bozoum, Nola, Mobaye, Bangassou et Ndele. It will soon have a presence in Birao et Obo.
The Support Project to the Electoral Cycle in the CAR (PACEC)
The Support Project to the Electoral Cycle in the CAR (PACEC) aims to assist transitional authorities, mainly the NEA and other national institutions with the electoral process in the following areas :
- Voter registration ;
- Polling operations ;
- Civic education and communication;
- Capacity building, programme management and coordination.
The PACEC budget is funded through the «basket fund» mechanism established and administered by UNDP.
IEAT completed and on going activities:
- Supporting the establishment of an institutional framework for the elections
- National Electoral Authority (NEA) and its sub-offices
- Consultation framework
- Constitutional Court of the Transition
- High Council of Communication of the Transition
- Review and adoption of the electoral framework
- Constitutional Charter of the Transition
- Electoral code
- By laws of the ENA
- Support to preliminary planning of ENA’s electoral operations
- Support to electoral mapping: identification of voter registration and polling centres as well as of warehouses for storage of electoral material.
- Preparation of a national logistics plan for receiving, storing and distributing electoral material
- In coordination with the Ministry of Justice, support the ENA in deploying civil officers for the legal swearing in of ENA’s regional and local officers.
- Support the ENA in developping a timetable for the recruitment, selection and training of ENA’s mapping officers.
- Support the ENA ins the recruitment, selection and training of voters registration officers.
- Support the ENA in the recruitment, selection and training of supervisors and trainers.
- Support in developing a timeline of civic education, communication and outreach material.
- Support the ENA in identifying the necessary equipment for the registration of voters and the Data Collection Centre.
- Develop a draft electoral security plan.
- Establishing a « One UN Electoral Task Force ».
- Recruiting and deploying polling IEAT officers in the REB.
[1] Electoral assistance is « integrated » as it is composed of MINUSCA Electoral Assistance Division as well as the «PACEC Project» administered by UNDP through its Principal Technical Advisor. The EAD Director is the Coordinator of the Integrated Electoral Assistance.