Promoting democracy and civic engagement

Governance, peace and stability

Mauritius
Comoros
Madagascar
Seychelles
Réunion
Gouvernance-paix-stabilité

Goals

Supporting the implementation of credible, transparent, peaceful and inclusive electoral processes
Promoting good governance among citizens, including women and young people, and developing the institutional capacities of the member states
Developing the capacities of the Indian Ocean Commission in its role as a promoter of peace and stability in the region
8M €
54months

A project

Commission de l’océan Indien (COI)

Supported by

In partnership with

Presentation

In the countries of the South-West Indian Ocean, some 20 years of tension and a loss of trust have driven a wedge between the media and institutions. The Governance, peace and stability project, led by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), has been receiving support since 2022 from CFI and the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), as lead agency, with the aim of improving the quality of information in Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles and Mauritius.

In particular, the project will make it possible to consolidate the initiatives taken in the areas of governance, peace and stability while adjusting them to the needs and context of each IOC member state. It will also allow action to be taken in the following areas:

  • crisis prevention and mediation;
  • providing support for electoral processes (including electoral observation);
  • democratic governance at regional level, relating, in particular, to parliamentary diplomacy, mobilising and raising awareness among the public, the work of the media, and developing capacity in institutions and civil society organisations.

Based on a system for the development of beneficiary capacities and the introduction of advocacy work with institutions, the project has been set up in close collaboration with the member states in compliance with the principles of sovereignty and subsidiarity.

Verbatim
The democratic institutions in the South West Indian Ocean region are taking up this issue, in the firm belief that providing the public with information and combatting the spread of disinformation is not solely the responsibility of journalists. These institutions can also participate here by becoming sources of reliable information and promoting the circulation of that information. The initiatives of the Governance, peace and stability project have been a real wake-up call.
Jean-Luc Mootoosamy
Project Media Expert and Director of Media Expertise

Project beneficiaries

- The Indian Ocean Commission, as the project’s contracting authority
- The Indian Ocean Commission Parliamentary Association (AP-COI)
- The Indian Ocean Radio and Television Association (ARTOI)
- Media outlets
- Civil society organisations
- The Indian Ocean Platform for Women in Politics (PFPOI)
- The Electoral Management Bodies (OGEs) and the Indian Ocean electoral competence network, which will be created via this project
- The institutional stakeholders and those involved in regional and national activities and initiatives in the areas covered by the project and identified via restricted calls for proposals

Project manager
Esther KRAWCZYK

Actions

Media outlets

- Training in crisis-sensitive journalism
- Training in parliamentary coverage
- Training in electoral process coverage
- Production of electoral charters

Cross-disciplinary activities for the benefit of the IOC

- Strategic council providing technical support for coordination and monitoring
- Cross-disciplinary support for networking and advocacy work
- Electoral monitoring