Africa - Regional Resources

Electoral Systems, Constitutionalism and Conflict Management in Southern Africa

The paper "Electoral Systems, Constitutionalism and Conflict Management in Southern Africa" by Dr. Khabele Matlosa (Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at the National University of Lesotho) attempts to discover the possible linkages between elections, electoral systems, constitutionalism and conflict management and show precisely how these phenomena then either enhance or undermine democratic governance.

Guidelines for AU Electoral Observation and Monitoring Missions (2002)

This document features the "Draft Guidelines for Electoral Observation and Monitoring Missions" of the African Union. Being a regional organization, the African Union recognizes the importance of the electoral observation in the in the democratic process in Africa. The following guidelines are meant to strengthen the democratization and governance processes in the continent, and to promote the AU involvement in electoral observation missions. This draft was released on February 2002.

Engaging the new Pan-Africanism: Strategies for Civil Society

A joint publication of ActionAid International-Southern Africa Partnership Programme and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, in partnership with Centre for Policy Studies, Mwelekeo wa NGO, Southern Africa Regional Poverty Network, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and Southern African Development Community-Council of Non-Governmental Organisations.

SADC Region: Survey of Electoral Systems and Reform Imperatives

The "Survey of Electoral Systems and Reform Imperatives in the SADC Region" by Khabele Matlosa of EISA

Norms and Standards for Elections in the SADC Region

This report Adopted by the SADC Parliamentary Forum Plenary Assembly sets norms and standards for elections in the SADC Region (March 2001).

Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation (PEMMO) in the SADC region (2000)

The "Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation in the SADC region" - or PEMMO - is the product of an initiative that originated at a Southern African Electoral Forum Conference held in June 2000 in Windhoek, Namibia. The Forum drew together more than 100 participants from governments, electoral commissions, political parties, civil society and research institutions and electoral and political experts from the SADC region. These stakeholders exchanged views about the determinants of best electoral practice, especially those issues related to improving election management, monitoring and observation, and enhancing the transparency of the electoral process.

Opposition Parties and Democratisation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Article in the Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 24, 1, Jan. 2006. This article presents a classification of the regimes in Africa followed by a descriptive analysis of opposition parties’ behaviour and analyses the effects of that behaviour on democratisation, participation, competition, legitimacy, and regime survival. It argues that opposition participation in elections and acceptance of election results is conducive to democratic development in the country.

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