India was unanimously elected as the new Chairman of the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) for 2022-2024 at a recent meeting of the governing body and the General Assembly in Manila, Philippines on May 7, 2022. Electoral Commission, Manila. he was the current chairman of AAEA. The new member of the Executive Board now includes Russia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Taiwan and the Philippines.
A three-member team of the Indian Commission led byDeputy Election Commissioner Shri Nitesh Vyas, and CEO Manipur Shri Rajesh Agrawl and CEO Rajasthan Shri Praveen Gupta, attended the Manila Executive Board meeting and presented the 2022-2023 action plan as so it is. future operations 2023-24 on the Executive Board. The presentation on ‘Gender Issues in Elections’ was also presented, highlighting various interventions aimed at India’s goal of eliminating social and political barriers in the electoral and political processes of inclusive and participatory elections.
Goal of the Association
The goal of the Association of Asian Election Authorities is to provide a fair forum in the Asian region to share information and best practices among electoral authorities to negotiate and work on ways to promote open and transparent elections with the aim of promoting good governance and support the majority.Officials from many AAEA member countries have regularly attended International Training Programs run by the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) from time to time.
Since 2019, more than 250 officials from AAEA member countries have attended these programs. IIDEM also conducts customized capacity building training programs for certain AAEA member states. The 50 officials of the Bangladesh Electoral Commission were trained between 2021-22.
Delegates from the AAEA have also been actively involved in the International Electoral Tourist Program organized by the Indian Electoral Commission. A total of 62 officials from 12 AAEA members participated in the Third International Visitors Program (IEVP) hosted by ECI during the 2022 General Election. AAEA is also a Member of the 118 Members of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB).
Establishment and membership of AAEA
Following a resolution passed by participants in the 21st Century Asian Election Symposium held from January 26-29, 1997 in Manila, Philippines, the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) was formed in 1998. Currently 20 Asian EMBs are members of AAEA. ECI is a founding member of the AAEA EMB and served on the AAEA Executive Board as Vice Chair for 2011-13 and Chair for 2014-16.
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