Republic of Mauritius- Symposium on ‘Strengthening democracy in the region’

The Electoral Commissioner, Mr Abdool Rahman, the UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles, Mrs Christine Umutoni, the UNDP Resident Representative for Mauritius and Seychelles, Ms Amanda Serumaga, the former Chief Justice, Mr Kheshoe Parsad Matadeen, and other dignitaries were present at the opening ceremony.

In his address, Mr Matadeen, spoke about the role of the Electoral Management Bodies (EMB) in making the electoral system an effective one.  EMB, he said, are central agencies responsible for running elections in countries around the world. They are responsible for a wide range of tasks namely: determining eligibility of voters, regulation of campaign finance, registration of political parties, setting of electoral boundaries, polling, tabulating votes and defining role of media during elections.

In Mauritius, said the former Chief Justice, the EMB consist of three democratic constitutional bodies that play a fundamental role in ensuring a democratic system in the country. They are the Electoral Commissioner, the Electoral Supervisory Commission and the Electoral Boundaries Commission. It is internationally recognised that EMB have to follow certain principles which include integrity, transparency, efficiency, professionalism, impartiality, and service mindedness amongst others, he added.

As regards the choice of an electoral system, he said that it is an important institutional decision for any democracy and has a profound effect on the future political life of a country.  According to him, an ideal electoral system needs to satisfy three basic conditions which are guaranteeing majority rule, providing a fair representation of the country’s diverse communities, and ensuring governmental stability.

For her part, the UNDP Resident Representative for Mauritius and Seychelles, Ms Amanda Serumaga said that democracy is the rule of law and remains at the core of the UNDP work around the globe.  The current symposium, she highlighted will enable delegates to implement Corporate Governance at its best. Corporate Governance, she added, remains the primary effective strategy towards accelerated development and EMB remain among the first entry point towards good governance to conduct election.

In addition, she appealed for more women representation in Parliament recalling that women representation stands presently at 12% in Mauritius. She further encouraged member countries to introduce plans and processes to provide opportunities for all including the handicapped and vulnerable as well as more women in order to have an inclusive participation.

The two-day symposium is being organised at the initiative of the Office of the Electoral Commissioner in collaboration with the United Nations (UN), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Indian Ocean Commission. The objective is to provide a platform to members of commissions of the region to reflect, take stock, and consolidate democracy to achieve a more efficient and effective delivery of credible elections.