United Nations Facilitates Strategic Dialogue Between Ghana's Electoral Commission and Development Partners

The United Nations today facilitated a high-level dialogue that brought together the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Heads of UN Entities in Ghana and Heads of Corporations representing development partners to engage on electoral governance, democratic participation, and institutional strengthening.

Co-led by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Jean Mensa, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Zia Choudhury, the meeting brought together Heads of UN Agencies, Heads of Cooperation, and representatives of development partners for a candid and constructive exchange on issues critical to Ghana's electoral processes.

As a trusted convener and partner in governance and development, the United Nations Ghana continues to provide strategic platforms for dialogue on democratic governance, electoral integrity, conflict prevention, and inclusive political processes through the Resident Coordinator’s system in Ghana. The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen dialogue between national institutions and development partners, ensuring that development cooperation remains responsive to national priorities and aligned with Ghana's democratic governance objectives. Such engagements are particularly valuable within the UN and development partners' programming and planning cycle, providing an opportunity to better understand emerging needs, identify areas for collaboration, and align technical and financial support with national priorities.

The discussions were widely described as informative, insightful, useful, and engaging, reflecting the strong interest among partners in Ghana's electoral landscape and democratic institutions. Through an interactive question-and-answer session, participants explored a wide range of issues, including political financing, youth engagement, mis information and dis information, hate speech, violence against women in politics, women's participation and leadership in elections, electoral security, transparency, inclusion, institutional preparedness, and the evolving impact of technology on electoral processes.

The EC Chairperson provided detailed insights into the EC’s work, ongoing reforms, and measures being implemented to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public confidence in elections. The discussions also highlighted efforts to promote inclusive political participation, particularly among women and young people, while addressing barriers that limit their engagement in democratic processes.

Participants acknowledged the importance of continued attention to violence against women in politics and public life, recognizing that safe and inclusive participation is fundamental to democratic governance. Discussions on electoral security similarly highlighted the need for strong collaboration among institutions and stakeholders to safeguard peaceful and credible electoral processes.

While no formal action points were agreed, the meeting successfully created opportunities for further bilateral discussions between the EC and individual development partners. The dialogue enabled partners to gain a deeper understanding of the EC’s priorities and the areas where targeted technical support may be required.

One emerging area of interest was the strengthening of the EC’s capacity to respond to technological developments, including the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digital information ecosystems on elections. In this regard, discussions pointed to potential opportunities for technical support, particularly from the European Union and other interested partners, towards the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Unit within the Electoral Commission to enhance its institutional capacity and readiness to address emerging challenges and opportunities.

Mr. Zia Choudhury welcomed the openness and quality of the exchanges, emphasizing the importance of sustained engagement between democratic institutions and development partners. 

Beyond providing an opportunity for mutual learning, the dialogue strengthened understanding between the EC and development partners and laid the foundation for future cooperation in support of transparent, inclusive, peaceful, and credible electoral processes in Ghana.