Difference between revisions of "International Foundation for Election Systems"
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Revision as of 11:09, 18 January 2008
International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) Founded in 1987, based in Washingon DC, it fosters "democratic initiatives", extending loans and grants to various "developing" countries, and it "provides "targeted technical assistance to strengthen transitional democracies". IFES notes: "the end of the Cold War in 1989 created opportunities… to respond to an overwhelming demand for technical non-partisan expertise in democracy and governance."
Contents
Summary of Activities
- Redesigning electoral laws
- Advising in electoral mechanics
- Setting up civic groups and organizing them for political purposes
- Pre-election surveys
- Overall political surveys
- Strategic advice to political groups
- Contracting to carry out NED projects
- Assisting journalists in coverage of elections[1]
From the website:
As one of the world's premier democracy and governance assistance organizations, IFES provides targeted technical assistance to strengthen transitional democracies. Founded in 1987 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, IFES has developed and implemented comprehensive, collaborative democracy solutions in more than 100 countries.[1]
Actions around the World
- IFES Africa Programs
- IFES Asia Programs
- IFES Eurasia Programs (former Soviet republics)
- IFES Latin America Programs
- IFES Middle East Programs
Election Guide
IFES has produced a website which enables the monitoring of elections, the election process, and information about parties. The website was paid for by "a generous grant" from USAID.
Contact and personnel
- Dorin Tudoran -- Editor in Chief
- Karen Buerkle -- Data Editor
- Oana Luca -- Research
Website: www.electionguide.org
Handing out prizes
In October 2007, IFES awarded a prize to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza. Here is a private company, a contractor, handing out the "Charles T. Manatt Democracy Award". Usually it is governments who hand out lofty prizes, but in this case IFES is acting in a quasi-statal capacity.[2]
Pontificating about elections
Besides handing out prizes, many of IFES's operatives lecture on how elections should or should not be conducted. The emphasis is on the process or mechanics of elections and not on the nature of the political system. It wags fingers at the nature of the political scene in other countries, but often what it criticizes is standard practice in the United States. For example, Marcin Walecki, an IFES a political finance adviser, recently lectured in Thailand about the monitoring of campaign finance and urging popular participation in the oversight.[3] IFES, an American corporation, is suggesting that money-dominated elections yield corruption and vote rigging. However, the US is the most money-intensive election systems. It is a case of double standards.
IFES Principals and Staff
Board Memebers
- William J. Hybl, Chairman
- Jean-Pierre Kingsley – President and Chief Executive Officer
- Peter G. Kelly, Vice-Chairman
- Richard Soudriette, IFES President and member of the US State Dept. "advisory committee on democracy promotion"[2]
- Leon J. Weil, Secretary
- Joseph Napolitan, Political consultant; president and CEO of Napolitan Associates; founder of the American Association of Political Consultants and co-founder of the International Association of Political Consultants; author of numerous articles and books on political campaigns; campaign advisor to various candidates both in the U.S. and abroad.
- Judy Black
- Don V. Cogman
- Judy G. Fernald
- Tyrone Freeman
- Frederick P. Furth
- Jeffrey Glassman
- Steny Hoyer -- (US Congress Rep. (MD))
- Patricia Hutar
- Lesley Israel
- Barbara Kennelly
- Maureen Kindel
- Jean-Pierre Kingsley
- Kathleen M. Linehan
- Robert L. Livingston
- Jane Bergman Norton
- Andres Pastrana — Former President of Colombia (1998-2002)
- R. Scott Pastrick
- Michael Pinto-Duschinsky
- T. Timothy Ryan, Jr.
- Robert H. Tuttle
IFES Senior Field Staff
| IFES Field-Based Senior Staff | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bradley Austin – Senior Field Development Manager, East/South Africa | Dickson Bailey – Project Director, IFES Albania and Kosovo (Elections) | Dan Blessington – Chief of Party, Azerbaijan |
| Elizabeth Côté – Chief of Party, Guinea | Almami Cyllah – Chief of Party, Liberia | Peter Erben – Deputy Director and Senior Advisor, Center for Transitional and Post-Conflict Governance |
| Ched Flego – Chief of Party, Armenia | Ben Goldsmith – Chief of Party, Egypt | Beverly Hagerdon Thakur – Chief of Party, Philippines |
| Paul Harris – Chief of Party, Yemen | Leone Hettenbergh – Chief of Party, Uganda | Richard John – Chief of Party, Iraq |
| Edward Kibirige – Chief of Party, Burundi | Charles Lasham – Chief of Party, Nigeria | Dr. Cecile Marotte – Chief of Party (Victims of Violence), Haiti |
| David Mikosz – Chief of Party, Kyrgyz Republic | Katherine Müller --Chief of Party, Tajikistan | Theo Noel – Chief of Party, Kenya |
| Mauricio Claudio López-Rivera – Chief of Party, Timor Leste | Carmina Sanchis-Ruescas – Chief of Party, DRC | Hermann Thiel – Chief of Party, Lebanon |
| Rodolfo Ticao – Senior Program Manager, Iraq | Marcin Walecki – Senior Political Finance Advisor, Center for Transitional and Post-Conflict Governance | Peter Williams – Chief of Party, Afghanistan |
| Jennifer Wilson – Chief of Party, Kazakhstan | ||
Other Consultants
Countries where IFES has been active
IFES states that it is active in 35 countries (inc. most of the former Soviet republics), but major activity occurred here:
| Countries where IFES has major operations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alabania | Angola | Azerbaijan |
| Dominican Republic | East Timor | Ethiopia |
| Georgia | Guatemala | Guinea |
| Guyana | Haiti | Honduras |
| Indonesia | Iraq | Kazakhstan |
| Nicaragua | Nigeria | Pakistan |
| Palestinian Territories | Paraguay | Philippines |
| Tajikistan | Yemen | |
Affiliations
- Council for a Community of Democracies
- NED
- Eurasia Foundation
- Freedom House
- International Center for Human Rights and Democratic Development (Canadian NGO)
- International IDEA
- International Republican Institute
- National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI)
- Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
- Soros Foundation
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (main funding source).
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) funding [3]
Contact, References and Resources
Contact
- IFES
- 1101 15th Street, N.W., Third Floor
- Washington, D.C. 20005
- 202.828.8507, Telephone
- 202.452.0804, Fax
- Website: www.ifes.org
Resources
References
- ↑ [Arab journalists can apply for workshop on elections], International Journalists' Network, 17 January 2008
- ↑ IFES Honors OAS Secretary General Insulza With Its Annual Democracy Award, Media Newswire, October 2007. (Accessed: 9 October 2007)
- ↑ Achara Ashayagachat, Close monitoring by public urged, Bangkok Post, 17 November 2007.
- ↑ Navbahor Imamova, Uzbekistan to Hold Presidential Elections in December, VOA News, 7 November 2007
