New Delhi [India], January 23 : India and Namibia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on election management on the sidelines of the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026, reinforcing cooperation among global election management bodies.
The MoU was signed by Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner of India, and Elsie T Nghikembua, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, at the conference in Delhi.
Speaking on the agreement, Nghikembua highlighted the benefits of collaboration with the world's largest democracy. She said, "As election management bodies, we are focusing on elections. India is the world's largest democracy. For Namibia, this partnership will benefit us in many ways. One of the areas in the MOU concerns capacity building for our officials and the commission. Training will be conducted, whether virtually or with our officials attached here to the Election Commission of India. It is a bilateral agreement that will benefit both countries."
On the broader objective of IICDEM 2026, she added, "There are many thematic areas. The outcome is for improved service delivery for all our election management bodies. Each country would give its perspective, and, based on the recommendations, each country, within its own context, would see what is applicable so that it can strengthen its own areas of operation."
Election officials from several countries underscored the importance of the conference as a platform for sharing experiences and best practices.
Portugal's Election Commissioner, Andre João Mauricio Leitão Do Valle Wemans, said, "We share all the information and experience of several electoral management bodies. We learn from each other; we are all facing similar challenges. So this change of information and the lead from the Electoral Commission of India are very important."
He further added, "You have managed to reach every voter much more than the Portuguese have managed. So it is a very impressive work from the Electoral Commission of India."
Mosotho Moepya, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of South Africa, pointed to the long-standing cooperation with India, stating, "The Electoral Commission of India and the Electoral Commission of South Africa have worked together on many occasions before. They (IICDEM) are a major training institution, and, as electoral management bodies, they offer facilities that not only benefit India but are also available to all of us worldwide. It is a great initiative. One of the two themes of this conference is to reimagine the work that we would do, in the year 2050, for example and begin to do that today."
Indonesia's Election Commissioner, Idham Holik, expressed appreciation for the invitation, saying, "We are grateful to have been invited to present this international conference. I extend thanks to the Election Commission of India. This conference will provide us with more information and help advance election management in Indonesia."
Echoing similar sentiments, Norma Irene De La Cruz Magana, Electoral Councillor of Mexico, said, "We are delighted to be in this event. We recognise India's leadership not just in organising elections, but also in incorporating technology and measures of inclusion. This is an amazing opportunity."
The IICDEM 2026 brings together election management bodies from across the world, positioning India as a key hub for global dialogue on democratic processes, innovation, and inclusive election management.
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