The Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) of the African Union Commission (AU) has deployed an Electoral Assistance Mission to support the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) ahead of the 7 October 2022 General Elections in the Kingdom of Lesotho.
The electoral support is in response to the request by IEC for technical and financial assistance in order to strengthen the Election Management Body’s capacity to organize peaceful, democratic and credible elections.
The electoral support, provided in collaboration with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), a partner of the Department of PAPS, will focus on capacity building of IEC Returning Officers, District Electoral Officers and their deputies.
It also entails assistance in the training of trainers on electoral security for the Lesotho Mounted Police Service. The various capacity-building interventions are carried out from 20 to 25 September 2022 in line with the IEC calendar of election activities.
The assistance to the IEC is provided pursuant to Article 18 of Chapter Seven of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
It mandates the AUC to offer electoral assistance to Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of the AU Member States to organise peaceful, democratic and credible elections in line with international and continental standards of democratic elections.