Four (4) member commissions of the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries (ECF-SADC) participated at the 2nd Summit for Democracy held on 29-30 March 2023 in Lusaka, Zambia. The Chairpersons of Electoral Commissions of Namibia (Ms. Elsie Nghikembua), Mauritius (Mr Abdool Rahman ) , Malawi ( Hon Justice Chifundo Kachale ) and Zambia ( Mrs Mwangala Zaloumis) participated in a series of in-person presentations and panel discussions on the theme of Free, Fair, and Transparent Elections as the Foundation for Democratic Governance. The panel discussions focused on five (5) thematic areas namely; Ensuring Electoral Integrity on the African Continent, Inclusive Participation of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities in Electoral Processes, Freedom of Expression: The Role of the Media and Civil Society in Promoting Transparent and Credible Elections, Transparency in Political Party Financing and The Independence of Electoral Management Bodies and their Importance in Free, Fair and Credible Elections
The second Summit for Democracy assembled world leaders in a virtual plenary format on March 29, followed by regional gatherings in each co-host country with representatives from government, civil society, and the private sector. The second summit for Democracy was co-hosted by the United States of America and the Republic of Zambia, with the governments of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea. This followed the successful Summit for Democracy hosted by President Biden in 2021.
