We are proud to have supported the first technical meeting of the Network of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) of Central African States, held in Libreville, Gabon on 7–8 April 2025.
This landmark event brought together 8 out of the 11 EMBs from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) region to discuss and review the Network’s draft statute and internal regulations, paving the way for deeper regional cooperation.
The initiative was supported by ECES and the African Union through the Pro Electoral Integrity Project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This meeting marks a significant milestone in the long-standing efforts to formalize regional cooperation among EMBs in Central Africa—building upon previous conferences in Libreville (2010) and Kinshasa (2014), which ECES attended alongside our founder and executive director Fabio Bargiacchi.
We also honor the legacy of our co-founder and first President, the late Abbot Apollinaire Malu Malu, then President of the Electoral Commission of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who was instrumental in initiating this vision.
The next key step in this process will be the official ratification of the Network by the Presidents of the EMBs, scheduled to take place in Bujumbura, Burundi on 29–30 May 2025.
At ECES, we are proud to walk alongside this historic journey. The dream of our founders Fabio Bargiacchi and late Abbot Malu Malu, is becoming a reality, and we remain committed to supporting the development of resilient, cooperative, and professional electoral institutions across the region.
