• Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar participated in the 11th meeting of the Executive Board of Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) in  Colombia.

• The Association of World Election Bodies is the largest association of election management bodies worldwide.

• He said that election management bodies, through forums like A-WEB, can work together on pressing challenges, including countering fake narratives which are trying to derail election integrity worldwide.

• On the sidelines of the 11th A-WEB Executive Board meeting, a bilateral meeting was also held with the National Election Commission of the Republic of Korea on ECI’s electronic postal ballot system. 

• India and South Korea had signed an MoU in 2012 for establishing a mutually cooperative relationship in the field of election administration.

Association of World Election Bodies 

• The year 2011 witnessed the origin of a new international institution when the National Election Commission of the Republic of Korea (NEC) proposed the establishment of a global association for structural support and firm establishment of democratic elections in emerging democracies. 

• There emerged needs for strategic support for emerging democracies to establish legitimate government through free and fair elections and to achieve economic and social development through political stability as international economic and societal assistance struggled to achieve their fruition due to political unrest and unstable political system in these countries. 

• The proposal was presented at the Conference on the eve of celebration of the 20th year of Association of European Election Officials (ACEEEO) in Hungary. This was followed by adoption of Resolution to establish the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB). 

• The proposal was further developed through a series of deliberations in the Working Groups, the charter finalised and finally, in October 2013, the establishment of A-WEB was officially announced along with approval of its charter.

• Currently, A-WEB is composed of 119 electoral management bodies (EMBs) from 110 countries. 

• The Secretariat of A-WEB is situated in Songdo in South Korea.

• The chairperson of A-WEB serves as the head of the association for a term of two years and presides over the General Assembly and the Executive Board meeting.

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been very closely associated with the process of formation of A-WEB and has been its Executive Board Member, since its inception in October 2013 for two consecutive terms (2013-15 and 2015-17). 

• ECI took over as vice-chairperson of A-WEB for 2017-19 term; as Chair for 2019-22 term and is presently a member of its Executive Board for 2022-24 in its capacity as immediate former Chair of A-WEB.

Functions of A-WEB:

• Its vision is ‘to foster efficiency and effectiveness in conducting free, fair, transparent and participative elections worldwide’.

• It aims to identify latest trends, challenges and developments in democratic electoral management and electoral processes.

• It facilitates appropriate exchange of experience and expertise among members with the object of strengthening electoral democracy worldwide.

• A-WEB is engaged in a series of activities in the areas of international cooperation.

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