Subsequent to unveiling its ambitious 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, the National Elections Commission (NEC) took the next decisive step toward transforming vision into action. Around one table sat government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, and international stakeholders to discuss how Liberia can build a stronger, more resilient electoral management body before voters return to the polls in 2029.

The consultation provided an opportunity for stakeholders to review the findings of the Commission’s recent Institutional Capacity Assessment, to reflect on an emerging institutional reform agenda, and explore how collective action can help turn recommendations into lasting change. The NEC Institutional Capacity Assessment was implemented by UNDP through the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP), with the support of the European Union, Irish Aid and Sweden.

For many participants, the consultation represented a shift in how electoral support is approached. Rather than waiting until elections are imminent, the NEC is investing in the years between election to strengthen systems, build institutional resilience, and ensure that reforms are firmly embedded in NEC policies and practices before the next electoral cycle begins.

Officially opening the consultation, NEC Chairperson Jonathan K. Weedor welcomed the continued partnership between the Commission, the LESP, and the Commission’s national and international partners.

He described institutional strengthening as central to the Commission’s future success, emphasizing that sustainable electoral management depends not only on infrastructure but also on investing in people, systems, and organizational capacity.

“The recommendations from this Capacity Assessment will help us move forward,” he said. “The support of UNDP and our partners remains indispensable to achieving the Commission’s objectives, and we look forward to working together as these reforms are implemented”.

Katherine Green, UNDP Chief Technical Advisor of the LESP, described the event as a natural continuation of the momentum created by the launch of the NEC's Strategic Plan earlier in the week.

“The Strategic Plan tells us where the NEC wants to go over the next five years,” she said. “The Capacity Assessment helps us understand how the institution can build the capacities required to get there”.

She emphasized that Liberia is now at a pivotal point in the electoral cycle, an ideal time for institutional reflection and reform.

“Election management bodies should use the years between elections to strengthen their institutions, rather than waiting until elections are around the corner,” Green noted, adding “Today’s discussion is about identifying how all of us: government, civil societies, development partners and the NEC itself, can contribute to building a stronger electoral institution”.

“Our objective is not simply to support the conduct of elections. It is to help build a stronger, more resilient institution that can respond to future challenges with professionalism, transparency and accountability,” Green emphasized.

The consultation built upon months of technical work undertaken by the Capacity Assessment Team, whose review examined the Commission’s governance systems, financial sustainability, planning processes, institutional development, communications, stakeholder engagement, human resource management, and organizational effectiveness. The assessment draws on consultations with NEC Commissioners and staff, magistrate offices across the country, government institutions, civil society organizations, political parties, media representatives, and development partners.

Presenting the findings, Dala Korkoyah, UNDP Electoral Capacity Assessment Consultant, explained that the process had deliberately gone beyond producing another institutional report. “We learned from previous assessments that recommendations alone do not create reform. Institutions need time to reflect on the findings, build ownership, prioritize actions, and develop a practical roadmap that guides implementation”.

Over the past two months, technical staff and the NEC Board of Commissioners separately reviewed 82 recommendations across 11 institutional focus areas, refining priorities and identifying reforms that could realistically be implemented over the next five years.

The result, Korkoyah explained, is an Institutional Reform Roadmap, an investment plan that aligns directly with the Commission’s newly launched Strategic Plan and provides a sequenced approach for strengthening the institution over time.

The purpose of the consultation was to present the roadmap to external stakeholders, gather independent perspectives, identify any remaining gaps or risks, and begin aligning future support with the Commission’s institutional priorities.

Throughout, participants reflected on the assessment’s findings and discussed how they can be implemented. Discussions also explored how partners could better coordinate future assistance, avoid duplication, and ensure that support contributes to nationally owned, sustainable institutional reforms.

The LESP supports national institutions and processes to promote inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance. It is managed by UNDP and implemented in partnership with UN Women, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, and the NEC, with support from the European Union, Ireland, and Sweden.

_End_