The Academy comprised a meeting and an exchange visit to some election stakeholders. The meeting was held on May 28, 2014 at the Airport West Hotel, Accra, Ghana. The meeting was opened by Dr. Franklin Oduro, the coordinator of Coalition of Domestic Elections Observers (CODEO), the local partner of WAEON. In his welcome address, he introduced Honorable Mahama Ayariga, the Minister for Information & Media Relations in Ghana; the Guest Speaker, Mr. Francis Oke, the Head of Electoral Assistance Unit, ECOWAS Commission, Nigeria; Mr. Oumar Diallo, the Chairman of WAEON and Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, Executive Council member and CODEO focal person for WAEON. Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu continued by referring to the theme, 'Electoral Reforms in West Africa: the Role of Citizens' Observer Groups' as laudable, significant and timely. He expressed that there is a real need for electoral reforms to strengthen the electoral processes within the sub-region, in order to guarantee the organization of peaceful, transparent and democratic elections. For example, Ghana has had relative successful elections. He also outlined some of the achievements of CODEO as having good working relationship with the Electoral Commission (EC) which has offered CODEO the opportunity to make some suggestions/input/advice to the work of the EC.
The West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON) is collaborating with the Washington DC-based National Democratic Institute (NDI) to participate in the upcoming general elections in Liberia, scheduled for October 10, 2017. Through NDI, WAEON will contribute to NDI International Observation Mission for the elections.
