Training Cycle for African Election Observers Kicks Off in Rabat
The 4th training cycle for African election observers began on Monday in Rabat, bringing together senior officials from 52 African countries. The opening ceremony was co-chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Mr. Nasser Bourita, and the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Bankole Adeoye.
This annual event, organized in partnership with the AU’s Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department, is part of Morocco’s commitment to a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Africa, driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The training aligns with decisions made by the AU’s Conference of Heads of State and Government, including those adopted during the most recent AU Summit in February 2025, which called on Morocco to continue enhancing African capacities to improve the effectiveness of election observation missions.
The 4th edition saw the participation of more than 120 young civil society actors, experts, and high-ranking officials from all five regions of the continent, with significant female participation accounting for 68% of all participants. This specialized training cycle positions Morocco as Africa’s leading provider of trained election observers to oversee electoral processes across the continent.
The program, conducted in Rabat, contributes significantly to strengthening African capacities in the electoral field. The 2025 edition also features the organization of the 2nd Dialogue-Seminar on Elections and Democracy in Africa, focusing on “Inclusive Governance: Amplifying Women’s Leadership in African Electoral and Democratic Processes.”
This seminar enriches the training program by addressing topics related to political dialogue, democracy, governance, and electoral processes on the continent. The 4th edition marks a key milestone in the Rabat-based training process, equipping the African Union with a database to serve election observation across Africa and promote democracy, peace, and security throughout the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.