WASHINGTON, USA – Twenty years after the adoption of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) renewed its commitment to the standards contained in this fundamental instrument during its participation in the annual meeting on the Declaration, held in Geneva (Switzerland), from December 8 to 12.
During the meeting, hosted by the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division, representatives of intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations reflected on the progress achieved and reaffirmed the international community’s commitment to credible, independent, and professional electoral observation.
In this context, the director of the OAS Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO), Gerardo de Icaza, participated in panels that examined the continued relevance of the Declaration of Principles and the challenges faced by Electoral Observation Missions in the Americas. The head of the Electoral Observation Section of DECO/OAS, Brenda Santamaría, for her part, presented the methodology used by OAS Electoral Observation Missions to observe women’s political participation.
At the meeting, it was agreed that, in 2026, the OAS, through its Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation, will be responsible for organising and coordinating the next Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.
According to the secretary general of the OAS, Albert R. Ramdin:
“OAS Electoral Observation Missions reflect our firm commitment to the principles enshrined in the Inter-American Democratic Charter and to the collective defense of democratic institutions in the Americas.” “In this regard, we will be very pleased to host the annual meeting on the Declaration of Principles in 2026, which will also coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Inter-American Democratic Charter,” he added.
