Sharm el-sheikh: Egypt has successfully enabled its citizens abroad to participate and vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections, overcoming all logistical and technical challenges through political will, careful planning, and the effective use of available technical, technological, and human resources, Chairman of the National Elections Authority (NEA) Counselor Hazem Badawy said.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the NEA Chairman made these remarks during the opening session of the 10th Annual Continental Forum of African Election Management Bodies, hosted by the NEA in Sharm El-Sheikh with broad African and international participation. This year's forum is held under the theme: "Voting by Citizens Residing Abroad: Achievements, Challenges and Future Prospects."
Badawy voiced appreciation for the confidence shown by African election management bodies in selecting Egypt to host the forum, reaffirming the authority's commitment to supporting joint African efforts to promote democracy, freedom of choice, and good governance. He said the NEA stands ready to provide support to fellow African countries by sharing Egypt's experience through training programs, advisory services, research papers, and presentations on best practices in election management.
Badawy described the forum's tenth edition as a significant milestone in the joint efforts of African election management bodies, noting their shared commitment to advancing democratic practices across the continent and strengthening the principles of transparency and integrity in electoral processes, which he described as a cornerstone of nation-building and institutional development. He said the forum's focus on overseas voting directly affects the lives of millions of Africans and is closely linked to advances in election technology, stressing that the continent is at a critical juncture requiring a broader understanding of democratic participation that includes every African citizen, regardless of where they reside.
The NEA Chief said political participation is a fundamental principle enshrined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, making overseas voting one of the key challenges facing election management bodies. Badawy stressed that voting from abroad is not merely a technical procedure but a constitutional right and a national duty owed to African citizens who have emigrated in search of better opportunities while maintaining strong ties with their homelands.
He highlighted the significant economic contribution of African expatriates through remittances, as well as their role as cultural and political bridges between their countries and the rest of the world, describing every expatriate as an ambassador for his or her homeland. Badawy added that denying overseas citizens the right to vote while expecting them to continue supporting their countries during times of crisis represents a contradiction that African nations should address.
The NEA Chairman called on African election management bodies to work together to institutionalize overseas voting by exchanging expertise on voter registration, organizing polling operations abroad, ensuring transparency and integrity, and making use of rapidly evolving technologies to overcome existing obstacles. Badawy also stressed the need to develop practical proposals to address legislative and administrative barriers that prevent the implementation of overseas voting in some African countries, and to incorporate such recommendations into national legislation, while upholding the principle of equality so that participation in elections is not determined by geography.
He concluded by saying that integrating African expatriate communities into the electoral process would strengthen the credibility of elections across the continent, broaden public participation, and reinforce the principles of democracy and justice, ensuring that every African voice is heard, wherever its owner may be.