LocationsLaunch of the United Nations Technical Assistance to the 2025-2027 Electoral Cycle in Cameroon
May 9, 2025
UNDP-CMR-The President of Elections Cameroon, Dr. ENOW Abrams EGBE, and United Nations Resident Coordinator, Dr. Issa SANOGO, exchanging the signed project document-2025
Yaoundé, 09 May 2025– United Nations Cameroon, in collaboration with Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), launched the United Nations technical assistance to the 2025-2027 electoral cycle in Cameroon. The ceremony was presided over by the President of Elections Cameroon, Dr. ENOW Abrams EGBE, and United Nations Resident Coordinator, Dr. Issa SANOGO.
The electoral assistance project is a UN contribution to fostering a peaceful and inclusive environment before, during, and after the elections, while strengthening ELECAM's institutional capacities. The project is a result of ELECAM’s request for assistance from the UNSG, the recommendations of the Needs Assessment Mission (NAM), and the decision of the United Nations (UN) focal point delimiting the areas of intervention of the technical assistance.
More specifically, the project will (i) promote multi-stakeholder dialogue to help ensure a peaceful electoral process, particularly through consultative platforms and joint commissions, while also targeting specific groups of actors (such as religious leaders, media, civil society organizations, including women’s and youth organizations); (ii) support the strengthening of ELECAM’s institutional capacities, including the training of its staff and officials to enhance their preparedness and ability to organize and manage the elections effectively; and (iii) promote inclusion, civic participation, and voter education among all actors in the electoral process, particularly women, youth, the media, persons with disabilities, and socially vulnerable groups.
“The importance of peace and stability in a country, particularly before, during, and after elections, is crucial. It is our conviction that this technical assistance, implemented within the One UN framework, will contribute to peaceful and inclusive elections in Cameroon, putting love, patriotism, and responsibility above all other interests.” Dr. Issa SANOGO, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cameroon. The implementation of the project within the UN System will be coordinated technically by UNDP, with the participation of UN Women, UNESCO, UNFPA, IOM, and OHCHR, under the overall strategic coordination of the Resident Coordinator.
“The project will significantly empower our staff and the stakeholders of the electoral process with the skills they need to meet the challenges of organizing, managing, and supervising the 2025-2026 electoral cycle.” Dr. ENOW Abrams EGBE, President of Elections Cameroon.
Project Inception
Following Elections Cameroon's (ELECAM) correspondence of 13 May 2024 requesting UN technical assistance for the 2025-2026 electoral cycle, comprising presidential, regional, legislative, and municipal elections, as well as senatorial elections, an Electoral Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) was deployed from 1 to 12 July 2024. The mission was led by the Electoral Assistance Division (DAE) of the Department of Political Affairs and Peacebuilding (DPPA), with the participation of DPPA's Central Africa Regional Division, the UN Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), and the UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa (RBA).
Considering the specific context, the recommendations of the NAM, and the strategic orientations of the UN Resident Coordinator in Cameroon, the UNDP led/conducted a consultative approach between the different agencies likely to be involved in the electoral process. Following this, a task force made up of focal points from UNDP, UN-Women, IOM, OHCHR, UNESCO, and UNFPA was set up to improve the coordination and coherence of the United Nations System's (UNS) electoral assistance to Cameroon.
The project is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2022-2026 for Cameroon, which provides the overall framework for UN development cooperation in line with national development priorities. It covers elections in support of institutional capacity building and the promotion of citizen participation (strategic priority 3).
