The planned activities aim to strengthen the inclusiveness and effectiveness of Ethiopia’s electoral processes in preparation for the 2026 7th General Elections and local elections. The project seeks to empower the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) to manage elections at all levels by building on lessons learned from the 2021 electoral cycle. This includes enhancing NEBE’s internal coordination, operational efficiency, and communication with regional branches and field staff, while also reinforcing its leadership, legal, and technical capacities. In parallel, the project supports the development of a robust domestic election observation ecosystem by equipping civil society organizations with the tools, training, and structures needed to observe and report on electoral processes throughout the cycle. A strong emphasis is also placed on increasing the participation of vulnerable and underrepresented groups—including internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities, women, youth, the illiterate, and first-time voters—through tailored civic and voter education initiatives.
To achieve Specific Objective 1, so that NEBE is equipped to conduct elections at all levels and to integrate the lessons learned from the 2021 electoral cycle into preparations for the 2026 7th General Elections and local elections, NEBE will be supported to enhance its internal capacity to manage, monitor, and communicate effectively with its regional branches and field personnel. This includes the provision of IT support and targeted assistance to regional offices to ensure consistent coordination across the country.
NEBE’s overall management capabilities will be strengthened through leadership and management training for its board members and executive officers. These efforts will include Training of Trainers (ToT) modules and cascade training systems to ensure reach across regional offices. Peer learning will be promoted through exchanges with other regional Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) and between NEBE’s own regional, zonal, and constituency-level offices. In addition, customized trainings will be delivered to both NEBE staff and relevant stakeholders. Poll worker training will be supported, and NEBE will receive assistance in establishing robust media and social media monitoring systems.
To ensure a level playing field and prevent electoral violence, NEBE and key stakeholders will be supported in strengthening electoral dispute resolution mechanisms. This includes bolstering the legal framework for dispute settlement and delivering training to judges and relevant stakeholders on both Electoral Dispute Resolution (EDR) and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Civil society organisations will also be trained on these mechanisms. A sustainable civic and voter education framework will be developed to further reinforce informed and peaceful electoral participation.
Specific Objective 2 aims to strengthen domestic election observation, with a focus on mid-cycle electoral events—such as local elections, referenda, and reruns—and on critical stages of the electoral process like voter and candidate registration. Key civil society networks will be empowered to observe and report on all aspects of the electoral cycle. This includes training programmes for domestic observers and LEAD training sessions adapted to the Ethiopian context, involving both national and international trainers, regional languages, and culturally relevant content. Support will be provided for the deployment of long-term and short-term observers during general and local elections. To further enhance observation capacity, an Election Situation Room and a media monitoring unit will be established. The visibility of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) will be promoted, and dialogue between international and national observation missions will be facilitated to encourage collaboration and mutual learning.
Finally, participation in elections will be increased, according to specific objective 3, among vulnerable groups, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), persons with disabilities (PWDs), the illiterate, women candidates, youth, and first-time voters. This will be achieved by raising awareness about how to obtain the necessary credentials to register and vote. Civic education and voter information campaigns will be specifically tailored to youth, vulnerable populations, and new voters. A platform will be created to facilitate exchange and dialogue among youth, women, and IDPs. Lastly, voter education training sessions will be delivered in collaboration with youth organisations to ensure broad outreach and engagement.