The role of the Associations of Electoral Institutions in promoting effective technical assistance in Latin America Seoul, October 2013 Dr. José Thompson Executive Director IIHR Director Center for Electoral Promotion and Assistance (CAPEL)

Background on electoral assistance in Latin America Latin America was the first region ever in which technical assistance to electoral bodies has been provided on a regular basis. The creation of the Center for Electoral Promotion and Assistance (CAPEL) in 1983 was determinant and set the path followed by OAS, IFES, UN, NDI, Carter Center, among others.

Center for Electoral Promotion and Assistance (CAPEL) Was created within the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in 1983 to promote political rights and to provide technical assistance on electoral issues across the Americas  Works with election bodies, legislatures, civil society organizations and political parties to strengthen the electoral procedures, increase transparency to electoral processes and educate voters  Organizes election observation missions to assess key elections within the Americas

CAPEL and the associations of electoral bodies CAPEL contributed to the creation of the Association of Electoral Bodies of Central America and the Caribbean (Tikal Protocol), first association of electoral bodies in the world. Later on in 1989, the Association of Electoral Bodies of South America was created (Quito Protocol). Both Associations created the Inter-american Union of Electoral Bodies (UNIORE) in 1991. CAPEL is the Technical Secretariat of these three electoral associations covering the Americas.

Cooperation and technical assistance expands Advice on electoral projects Horizontal cooperation Electoral observation missions Cooperation and technical assistance between and among the electoral bodies of Latin America expanded in the framework of the associations through:

Technical electoral assistance and observation missions Transfer of knowledge, skills and capabilities between electoral bodies through observation missions whose participants are mainly technical and specialized staff from the electoral bodies Missions CAPEL ELECT. BODIES Knowledge ELECT. BODIES Skills Capabilities CAPEL Lessons learned

Priorities of the technical assistance in Latin America in order of importance (72 projects developed) 1 Automation (27%)   2 Political electoral rights (16%) 3 Training (14%) 4 Electoral management (13%) 5 Mapping (11%) 6 Audits and controls within the electoral bodies (10%) 7 Financing of political parties (9%)

The flow of horizontal cooperation The Associations facilitate horizontal cooperation: From CAPEL to the electoral bodies (OEs) Fostering interaction and common ventures between electoral bodies CAPEL OEs

Electoral observation missions The electoral observation missions play a crucial role in promoting technicalhoriozontal cooperation 249 missions accomplished in 30 years Two way street: assesment of technical advancements through electoral observation reveals new fields for technical assistance both in the host institutions and in other electoral bodies members of the Associations

NUMBER OF ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSIONS CARRIED OUT 1985-2013

In the last two years a technical project conducted by the Executive Secretariat, has provided electoral bodies with:   1.    An analisis of the strengths and needs regarding technical Assistance, mapping possible providers and recipients. 2.    A new space for technical staff to develop direct relations and Communication, thus generating more opportunities for concrete bilateral projects. 3.    Elaboration of an specific Guide to manage the execution of technical electoral projects, tool aimed at standardizing and improving design and management of electoral Projects in the Region. In the period 2010-2013 aproximately 115 horizontal cooperation initiatives have been carried out either bilaterally or through the Executive Secretariat.

6 Conclusions and one objective 1 Electoral technical assistance has been an outstanding tool to guarantee democracy in Latin America in the last 30 years improving electoral processes and electoral management. 2 The three associations of electoral bodies are key to promoting and supporting representative democracy in Latin America and CAPEL has played a significant role articulating them. 3 Maintaining close contact between electoral bodies is essential and the regular Meetings of the Associations as well as the observation missions provide a valuable opportunity, it is with them that technical support projects are developed and actions are taken to enrich the electoral jurisprudence, strengthening political parties as well.

Conclusions 4 The vitality, diversity and richness of horizontal cooperation among members of the electoral associations in Latin America, are remarkable elements that constitute a model for other associations in other regions of the world. 5 Horizontal cooperation has been made possible by proactive actions of the electoral bodies and the Executive Secretariat whose joint efforts promote and develop it. 6 Electoral observation missions have produced feedback to electoral processes thanks to the presence of magistrates and technical staff in the missions, whom in turn convey lessons learned and good practices to their electoral institutions. The relation beween the Latin American management model and the associations is based on a shared technical language and the relation between observation missions and effective technical assistance

The existence of the “Latin-American model and CAPEL’s activity have been crucial to the creation of associations of electoral bodies, which in turn, through their various modalities of action (Meetings, observation missions), have been succesful in developing important and prolific flows of technical assistance between and among electoral institutions in the Region, in areas that continue to increase in number and diversity

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