The APPG for Africa together with CPA UK and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy invites you to a high-level virtual roundtable to discuss:

Elections and COVID in Africa: What We've Learnt

If elections in African countries are to go ahead during the current pandemic, what measures can be taken to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19? And how might those measures best be implemented? 

Dr Tom Malony and his research team from University of Edinburgh have carried out extensive research into the impact that Covid-19 has had on recent elections in Ghana, Tanzania and the Central African Republic  (as well as by-elections held earlier this month in Kenya). This roundtable will discuss the conclusions, implications and recommendations from that research for future elections during pandemics. This will be followed by a response from the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) and interactive discussion and Q&A with speakers and participants.

The aim of the meeting is to bring together UK MPs and Peers, FCDO civil servants, MPs from The Gambia, Nigeria and Kenya (TBC) and representatives from Electoral Commissions and Africa's regional institutions to discuss how during times of cuts to the UK's ODA, international partners can best work together to support and strengthen electoral and democratic processes during this pandemic. 

Speakers:

• Dr Victoria Lihiru, Open University of Tanzania 
• Edem Selormey, Centre for Democratic Development Ghana 
• Patrick Vinck, Research Director, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative 
• Prof. Paul Nugent, University of Edinburgh 
• Grant Masterson, Head of Governance Institutions and Political Processes, EISA 

Please note this meeting is by invitation only. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience to baileyh@parliament.uk for Zoom joining details and an attendee list or if you have an invitation suggestion or request.