The CIC National Capital Branch’s Africa Study Group (ASG) is happy to announce its next webinar: Governance and electoral processes in Africa: the 2021 elections in Zambia

In the latest Zambian election held on August 12, 2021, under the slogan ‘Good Governance and Prudent Economic Management’, opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema was elected president.  He defeated incumbent President Edgar Lungu in the face of many odds.

Although they are an integral part of the foundations of a democratic state, the holding of elections does not in itself determine their credibility or even the state of a country’s democracy.  To be credible, elections must rather be part of the broader political framework based on good governance, the rule of law and equal participation in political life. Despite numerous challenges, Africa has made tremendous progress in past decades, both normatively and institutionally, and on the ground.

Our speakers will share their insights on various aspects of the Zambian election and explore prospects for other African elections:

Guy Cyrille Tapoko is the Head of the Democracy and Electoral Assistance within the Department of Political Affairs Peace and Security of the African Union Commission. He has an extensive international experience spanning over 17 years with exposure to electoral processes in Africa, Europe and America, including in post conflict transitional settings. Mr. Tapoko has contributed to the credibility of electoral processes in Africa by providing technical advice to Electoral Management Bodies, Political Parties and Civil Society Organizations. Some of key assignments he has undertaken includes providing high level technical support to good offices of AU Special Envoys/Representatives during mediation on electoral-related conflicts in several countries in Africa. Mr. Tapoko is also an internationally accredited Facilitator of BRIDGE (Building Resource in Democracy Governance and Elections), and ACE Project expert. He holds pre Doctorate degree in Political Science from the University of Yaoundé II in Cameroon. He published articles in elections and governance, most recent being ‘Election Observation and the Question of State of Sovereignty in Africa’ at the Journal of African Elections.

Privilege (Priva) Haang’andu holds a PhD in Public Policy from the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Saskatchewan, a master’s degree in Political Science and a bachelors degree in Philosophy.  His research interest is in the role of transnational policy actors in driving policy change in African institutions. He has taught Political Science in Canada and in Zambia and has published in  internationally reputed academic journals. He has served for several years as the Governance and Political Advisor at the US Department of State, and as consultant  with the African Development Bank. He currently doubles as the Governance Principal Researcher for Includovate Pty Ltd, an Australian research incubator and as Development and Peace’s Regional Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for Saskatchewan and Keewatin Le-Pas.

The webinar will be moderated by Marcia Burdette, the Deputy Chair of the Africa Study Group. With a PhD in the Political Science from Columbia University (New York, 1979), Marcia Burdette  pursued an academic career followed by 25 years with Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  She has a longstanding interest in Africa, in particular central southern Africa.  Her book Zambia: Between Two Worlds and a series of articles focused on the major economic transition of the country when its new leaders embarked on the nationalization of the copper industry, the country’s main economic engine.  Subsequent articles dealt with input industries for Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector in the 1980s and 1990s.

Date and Time:

Thursday, September 23, 2021 from 11:30 – 13:00 (Eastern Time), 18:30 – 20:00 (GMT+3), Addis Ababa time, Ethiopia

TO REGISTER: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_akV_6HjgScqQYg8WK7RZ7Q

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Le Groupe de réflexion sur l’Afrique (GRA) est heureux d’annoncer sa prochaine session virtuelle: Gouvernance et processus électoraux en Afrique : les élections zambiennes de 2021

Lors des dernières élections zambiennes du 12 août 2021, sous le slogan ” Bonne gouvernance et gestion économique prudente “, le leader de l’opposition Hakainde Hichilema a été élu président.  Il a défait le président sortant Edgar Lungu face à de nombreux obstacles.

Bien qu’elles fassent partie intégrante des fondements d’un État démocratique, la tenue d’élections ne détermine pas en soi leur crédibilité ni même l’état de la démocratie d’un pays.  Pour être crédibles, les élections doivent plutôt s’inscrire dans un cadre politique plus large, fondé sur la bonne gouvernance, l’État de droit et la participation égale à la vie politique. En dépit des nombreux défis, l’Afrique a fait d’énormes progrès au cours des dernières décennies, tant sur le plan normatif et institutionnel que sur le fond.

Nos intervenants ci-dessous nous apporteront leur regard sur les différents aspects de cette élection zambienne et nous éclaireront sur les perspectives africaines qui en découlent:

Guy Cyrille Tapoko est le chef de la Démocratie et de l’Assistance électorale au sein du Département des affaires politiques, de la paix et de la sécurité de la Commission de l’Union africaine. Il possède une vaste expérience internationale de plus de 17 ans dans le domaine des processus électoraux en Afrique, en Europe et en Amérique, y compris dans des contextes de transition post-conflit. M. Tapoko a contribué à la crédibilité des processus électoraux en Afrique en fournissant des conseils techniques aux organes de gestion des élections, aux partis politiques et aux organisations de la société civile. Parmi les missions clés qu’il a entreprises, on peut citer la fourniture d’un soutien technique de haut niveau aux envoyés/représentants spéciaux de l’UA lors de la médiation de conflits liés aux élections dans plusieurs pays d’Afrique. M. Tapoko est également un animateur accrédité au niveau international pour le programme BRIDGE (Building Resource in Democracy Governance and Elections), et un expert du projet ACE. Il est titulaire d’un pré-doctorat en sciences politiques de l’Université de Yaoundé II au Cameroun. Il a publié des articles sur les élections et la gouvernance, le plus récent étant “Election Observation and the Question of State of Sovereignty in Africa” dans le Journal of African Elections.